Requisition
by DomYang
Summary: A Champion vanished from the face of the world when he had risen to the top of it. A familiar man of few words will soon resurface and show the world of the power that was thought to have vanished as he did. With the arrival of the Pokemon World Tournament, it will bring about a chance encounter with a legend and a Champion to a select few, and perhaps something more.
1. Chapter 1

"Red" - Person Talking

"_Red_" - Person Thinking

**"Red"** – Pokemon Talking

**"_Red_"** \- Pokemon Thinking

**Yo, Dom here bringing you another story. This time it's about the most powerful trainer returning to reclaim his title. Well it really, it's more of a thing that I wrote since most of the Red stories I follow are kinda dead. Well yeah, that's that. Let's a go. **

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Requisition - Chapter 1

Mt. Silver, located in Johto, west of Victory Road and the Indigo Plateau. The mountain had a reputation for being dangerous, a literal death sentence for those who were foolhardy, inexperienced or overconfident. It was not just that the weather was a hazard to anything not accustomed to or evolved to deal with the blade-like hail, soul freezing cold or all-erasing whiteouts. The labyrinth-like inner structure of the mountain would confuse and consume those who lost their way. Its unstable and crumbling paths that would suddenly appear and steal away those unaware or uncaring of their existence.

The overbearing danger laid with the wild Pokemon that claimed the various sections of the mountain as their territory. The roars, cries and shrieks of their territorial disputes could be heard from even the foot of the mountain, the residents of Silver Town being able to testify their vicious and terrifying battles. Whether it be a pack of Sneasel led by a dominant Weavile, a herd of Ursaring or Donphan rearing their young to the rare Steelix or Tyranitar clashing for dominance; the Pokemon that inhabited the mountain were among the most powerful and vicious that could be found naturally in the wild.

So, as for the question that one may ask upon hearing about such a hazardous location, why would one even care to visit let alone try and explore the mountain? There were many that simply wished to say with pride that they reached the summit. Others came to try their hand at catching the powerful Pokemon that inhabited the mountain. But for a very select few, a few that could be called Legends or Champions, they tried reaching the summit to confirm the existence and to challenge a soul that was said to be the spirit of the mountain. A soul that was said to be the strongest trainer in existence.

Though many tried; Lance of Kanto, Steven of Hoenn, Cynthia of Sinnoh, Alder of Unova, Diantha of Kalos, they were forced to descend as the elements and Pokemon of the mountain assaulted them mercilessly and without reprieve. They could attest to the power and ferocity of the Pokemon that called the mountain their home, but as Lance, Steven and Alder had noted; for some reason, the higher they ascended the more powerful and ferocious they became.

Some believed that it was just natural as the higher one descended the harsher the conditions were. Others rebuked that claim as the strongest would be ruling at the foot of the mountain, where resources would be most plentiful. But for those Champions, they came to the conclusion that they had become powerful from suffering defeat and continuing to challenge the soul that ruled over the mountain, based on the varying scars that they carried. With those words, the number of aspiring climbers dimished to almost no one.

A lone figure could be seen standing at the precipice of the Johto and Kanto regions' largest mountain, Mt. Silver, staring down the cloud covered peak with an empty gaze in his eyes. How long had it been since he stepped down this mountain? He had to estimate that it had to have been at least a decade, judging from how he looked in the reflections the ice and water showed him. A sign leaving his mouth, he slowly trudged back towards the cave that had become the home of him and his Pokemon, who were undoubtedly his family.

When was the last time he had even seen another person? He had to have guessed it was roughly five years, the young lady who declared herself as the new Champion of the Johto region, what was her name? Lyra? And before that it would have to have been that young man who also declared himself the Champion of Johto, Ethan, if he remembered correctly a few minutes prior. At the memory, he couldn't help the small ghost of a smirk that crossed his face at the battles he had with the two.

(Flashback - Six Years Ago)

"Ha! I finally made it! Hell yeah!" A young man shouted in triumph as he held his arms above his head, whooping loudly as he scanned the pristine and untouched white that laid around him.

Ethan was a young man around the age of fourteen, his bright gray eyes shining as he took in the snowscape around him. Currently, he had his signature black and gold hat sitting proudly on his head, a heavy brown coat covering the red hoodie that he normally wore along with his black capris pants. Ensuring that his silver pack was still securely sitting on his back, he grinned as the sound of panting came from the cave he originated from.

"H-Hey! That is totally unfair, Ethan! You said that we'd both step out to the summit together!" An irritated voice called out to the capped young man as he turned to face his partner in crime, Lyra coming into view as she shot a heated and annoyed glare at him.

Lyra was a brunette with two curled twintails hidding under her baggy white hat with its signature red ribbon. A heavy brown coat was covering her usual outfit of a red hoodie and blue coveralls. Along with her bright red shoes, thigh high white stockings and gold bag; she huffed when she saw him grin in an apologetic manner.

Her brow twitching in irritation, she marched up to him as he shrunk a bit in terror, though that verbal onslaught failed to arrive when a heavy gust of frigid wind cut through their winter gear like it was nonexistent. Heavy shivers wracking their bodies, they shared looks before nodding and moving to explore the peak. A few steps in, they felt their senses as trainers flare to life; hands racing towards the Pokeballs that laid on their hips. While they would have been more comfortable with a full party for each of them, the Pokemon that they had encountered earlier made some of the Pokemon they had faced during their journeys as Champions look like babies, having reduced their number of teammates.

A lone Tyranitar took down three of their Pokemon between them; a Golem, Machamp and Steelix managed to reduce them to three Pokemon each. While they were a bit worried, their competitive spirit and the knowledge that they had their best still remaining helped bolster their confidence. As they scanned the area, they felt their eyes widen and jaws drop when they saw a lone person standing at the edge of the summit, seemingly unaffected by the frigid and biting wind currently plaguing the duo.

"I-Is that a person?" Lyra asked in an incredulous tone, Ethan gulping a bit as he nodded his head.

"T-Then I guess the rumors of Mt. Silver were true." Ethan said as Lyra and himself slowly moved towards the figure, freezing when they saw him turn around and stare at them with a pair of crimson colored eyes.

The person, if it was one, looked like a wild man of sorts. Long, shaggy black locks framed their face, running down his shoulders. His clothes were torn and ripped in various places, seemingly having been sewn again and again based on the wear and tear they were showing. A pair of brown shoes with holes could be seen on their feet as a vaguely familiar brown had was laying in tatters on their head. As soon as they locked eyes, there was a glint of something in his, though that faded just as quickly as it came as he pulled a Pokeball of his own from his hip and tossed it wordlessly. A quick flash of light soon showed the small form of a familiar yellow rodent Pokemon. A bit confused at first, the two glanced at each other before agreeing to their usual battle style when it was the two of them together.

"Fine, we'll take you on! Three Pokemon from each of us against your six! Don't you underestimate the former and current Champions of Johto!" Ethan shouted as he readied his Pokeball, Lyra taking the lead as she swiftly let hers loose.

"Ursaring, you're up!" She called out as a bipedal brown haired bear appeared in a flash of light, a powerful roar leaving its mouth as it shivered slightly before focusing on the yellow rodent standing unflinchingly in front of it.

"Ursaring, get in close and use Hammer Arm!" Lyra called out as a roar of affirmation sounded in response, Ursaring started forward while a glow shrouded it's arm.

But before it could take its second step it was face to face with the opposing Pikachu with its own arm drawn back. Ursaring was sent crashing into the ground as a brutal Thunder Punch connected, a bright flash of yellow and an ear splitting crack of thunder signaling the defeat of the Hibernation Pokemon. Eyes wide as they saw the unbelievable scene of one of Lyra's heaviest hitters being knock out with a single move, the brunette snapped out of her daze before recalling her fallen companion.

"What is this guy..." Lyra muttered as a bead of sweat slid down the side of her face, taking a breath before sending out her next partner.

"Mismagius, I need your help!" She shouted as she released the Magical Pokemon, Mismagius letting an eerie cry sound as she appeared before the yellow rodent.

Watching the mystery trainer and his Pikachu closely, they saw the faint look of curiosity and slight recognition that shone in their eyes at the sight of the ghost Pokemon. A bit confused, she soon came to the conclusion that he had never seen the fully evolved form of Misdreavus. A smirk crossing Lyra's face, she figured that her opponent had no knowledge of the various new discoveries that had been made in recent years, intent on taking full advantage of his lack of knowledge.

"Mismagius, keep your distance and use Shadow Ball!" Lyra's commanded as another cry sounded in affirmation, the ghost Pokemon levitating out of reach as it charged a blackish purple orb of ghostly energy.

With a cry, it sent it flying towards the motionless rodent, the orb connecting as an explosion of ice, snow and rubble clouded the area. Watching with stunned eyes that he hadn't made the effort to order his Pikachu to dodge, Lyra was about to reprimand him for his callous attitude only to freeze when the yellow rodent was standing beneath Mismagius, sparks flying from its cheek pouches.

"Quick, Mismagius use Protect!" Lyra called out in desperation, her ghostly friend being far slower then the veritable storm of electricity that was loosed by Pikachu.

A shrill cry leaving the mouth of her Mismagius as the Thunderbolt connected with and brought it to the ground, Lyra watched with a slightly bitter expression before recalling her ghostly friend. Staring at the Pokeball held in her hand, she turned to look at the opposing Pikachu as it calmly walked back towards its trainer. A bit miffed that she was being steamrolled by a single Pokemon, one that was generally seen as a pet or family Pokemon, began to damage her pride as the current Champion of Johto. Gritting her teeth, she reached for her friend who had been with her through thick and thin, fire in her eyes as she pulled the Pokeball back.

"Meganium, you're my last hope!" Lyra declared as she released her long time friend, the sauropod-like Pokemon letting a determined cry leave its mouth as it stared down the yellow mouse in defiance.

"Alright, Leech Seed!" Lyra shouted as Meganium cried in confirmation, ejecting a seed-like pod from the flower the shrouded its neck.

The eyes of their opponents widening a bit, Lyra grinned when she realized her previous hypothesis was proven to be true. Her beloved Meganium had been given to her by Professor Elm, the kind professor having had bred a few more unorthodox attacks into the tiny Chikorita she had left on her journey with. One such move was the Leech Seed that connected with and quickly wrapped around the tiny rodent Pokemon. Her grin quickly turned into a stunned expression when Pikachu had a flash of something fierce cross its eyes, appearing before her starter in an instant with its tail glowing with a metallic look.

Then a bone shattering Iron Tail connected with Meganium's jaw, a garbled cry leaving the mouth of her partner as it's entire body shuttered and wobbled from the blow. About to think that it was over with another single attack, her starter proved her wrong as it left out a defiant cry and righted its shaky body; glaring at the Pikachu gazing at it with a calculating expression, which turned to a slight wince as the Leech Seed that afflicted it robbed it of some of its energy.

"Meganium, I know it's going to be hard but use Frenzy Plant!" Lyra cried as her partner followed with one of its own, its body glowing a deep forest green as it raised onto its hind legs before slamming its forelegs into the ground.

A deep rumble emanating through the area, a number of large roots with spikes soon emerged from the ground as Pikachu narrowed its eyes in response. Gritting its teeth as it felt more energy get sapped, it expertly evaded the oncoming roots before jumping and running along the outgrowth. It's own eyes wide, Meganium found itself in an extremely vulnerable position as the last of the summoned roots failed to make direct contact with the advancing rodent. Gritting its teeth, Meganium tried to force itself through the exhaustion the came with using the most powerful grass type attack, a frustrated cry leaving its mouth as Pikachu descended down on it with electricity crackling from its paw.

Then, like Ursaring, Meganium was sent to the earth in an unconscious heap as the Thunder Punch connected with and knocked it out. Staring in disbelief, Lyra slowly raised her Pokeball and recalled her fallen friend. Trembling slightly, Lyra was overtaken by an irate and angered looking Ethan, a concerned gaze in his eyes as he watched childhood and best friend's confidence and pride her stamped out by the duo before them. Pulling out his own Pokeball, he wouldn't give his opponent a chance to catch their breath, seeing that the Leech Seed was still affecting Pikachu.

"Crobat, you're on!" He shouted as a four winged bat appeared, chattering slightly before focusing on the seeded mouse in front of it.

"Don't let it have a chance to breathe, Toxic!" He shouted as Crobat glowed purple before it released a stream of purple energy at the grimacing rodent.

The stream nearing Pikachu, it was easily evaded as the yellow mouse side stepped and rushed the bat down. But a smirk appeared on Ethan and Crobat's faces; the steady stream soon inflating before exploding in a thick smog of toxic gas. Pikachu inhaling the fumes, it started coughing as a purple hue shrouded it's body, shuddering as an increasingly agonizing pain wracked it small form. But to the horror and shock of its opponents, it let out a defiant cry before unleashing a powerful stream of electricity on the airborne Pokemon. The Thunderbolt connecting before it could evade, Crobat was felled by the stream of electricity as Ethan quickly recalled it.

"We gotta win this, Typhlosion!" He shouted as he released his ace, the signature roar of his partner echoing as it flared its flaming mane.

"Eruption!" Ethan ordered as the already roaring mane of the Volcano Pokemon intensified, Typhlosion lowering its body and aiming its flaming mane towards an exhausted looking Pikachu.

A roar leaving its mouth, a heavy burst of fire streamed towards the grimacing mouse Pokemon. Pikachu lowering itself to the close before crying out a bit when its back was scorched by the blaze. Gritting its teeth, he surged forward before slamming into Typhlosion's face with a brutal Quick Attack. The Volcano Pokemon letting a pained cry leave its mouth, it stumbled back before unleashing a stream of fire from its mouth. Pikachu managing to avoid the flames by rushing forward before slamming an electrified fist into the abdomen of the fire type.

A garbled cry leaving the mouth of his partner, Ethan grit his teeth before recalling his starter, thanking it for its work. Turning his gaze back to the Pikachu, both Lyra and himself were completely blown away by both the tenacity and power the small Pokemon had showcased. Taking a breath to calm himself, he stared at the trump card that he only recently received to take back his former title as Champion from his best friend, nodding his head as he readied his final Pokeball.

"Ampharos let's show em something good!" Ethan declared as he sent out his trump card, Lyra raising a brow in question as she looked at the familiar Pokemon.

"Ethan, what're you planning?" Lyra asked as he grinned at her, holding his arm out in front of him.

"I wanted to use this against you when I take back the title of Champion, but looks like I have to pull out the big guns! Ampharos, Mega Evolve!" Ethan shouted as Lyra had her eyes in disbelief, Ethan tapping a multicolored stone embedded in the bracket he had on.

Upon tapping the Keystone, a number of tendrils made of energy emanated from it before connecting with the Light Pokemon; Ampharos crying loudly with increasing energy before it suddenly surged and erupted in a brilliant sphere of energy, the symbol that his Keystone had appearing briefly on the form of the now Mega Ampharos, the Mega Evolved Pokemon exuding a powerful presence as all eyes were on its new form. Lyra was completely floored seeing the fabled 'Extra Evolution' that Professor Elm had hinted at being more then myth was actual fact.

"No way... How...!?" She shouted at Ethan in a jealous and disbelieving tone, Ethan merely grinning at her before focusing on the titan still in front of him.

"Quick Ampharos, Cotton Guard!" Ethan ordered when he saw the smaller electric Pokemon move, thanking Lyra and his partners when he noticed how drastically its speed was reduced over the course of its battles.

With Pikachu rushing down the Mega Pokemon, Ampharos let a cry as its body began to glow white, lowering its head as the wooly mane that cascaded down its back quickly grew before enveloping it. Seeing that, Pikachu narrowed its eyes as electricity began to build up around its form. Soon enough it let loose a devestating Thunderbolt as Ampharos let out a stunned cry at the sudden foreign current dancing through its body. Another cry soon followed when it was sent skidding backwards when a heavy Iron Tail slammed into the cotton wall it had erected.

"Use Dragon Pulse now!" Ethan cried as Pikachu had a much heavier grimace cross its features, Ampharos shedding the wool it had grown before opening its maw.

Quickly, Ampharos charged a small multicolored sphere in its mouth before letting lose a dragon shaped beam of the same multicolored draconic energy. As the beam surged towards Pikachu, it forced itself to try and evade the attack, crying out slightly as the compounded effects of Meganium's Leech Seed and Crobat's Toxic finally caught up with it. Having only enough energy to move slightly to the side, the oncoming Dragon Pulse connected cleanly with the exhausted Pokemon; Pikachu crying as it was sent flying by the subsequent explosion. Ethan, Lyra and Ampharos letting a victorious shout when they saw the sight of the prone Pikachu, they quieted when the mystery trainer made his way over before kneeling and picking up its defeated form.

"Pika..." It whispered with what they felt was tears and self-depreciation thick in its tone, feeling a bit guilty that they had caused such a change in the seemingly indomitable Pokemon.

At its tone, the opposing trainer merely smiled softly before nodding their head as Pikachu let out a quieter cry as sleep took it. Pulling out it's Pokeball, he recalled it before staring down the Mega Pokemon while securing his next battler. Seeing that, Ethan knew instinctively that Lyra and himself were in way over their heads when they accepted his challenge. Looking over the simple facts that were laid out before them, the odds of them winning were just as likely as Whitney turning down ice cream sundae, impossible. Despite knowing that, he still had his pride as a former Champion to uphold.

That pride did quiver a bit when the next Pokemon that was released seemed to dwarf even the beast that Lance commanded, having to be at least double the average height of one of its species if not larger. The snow and ice that rested around the feet of the titan instantly evaporating as it spread its wings and let loose an ear splitting roar, the Charizard leveling a cold gaze towards the Mega Ampharos before it. But before Ethan even had a chance to give an order, he saw his Ampharos being engulfed in a hellish inferno, the Flamethrower that was loosed melting and evaporating all traces of moisture that its heat touched.

Once the flames that were unleashed finally quelled, the burned form of Ampharos could be seen standing on wobbly legs, the Mega Evolved Pokemon falling from its powered state as unconsciousness took it. Staring with wide eyes, Ethan and Lyra felt like they were in a dream of some kind; unable to comprehend the power that the Pokemon they were facing had, a single attack overwhelming and defeating a majority of their partners. His head dropping a bit, Ethan recalled his Ampharos before Lyra made her way over to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. Lifting his head, he offered her a wry smile that was returned, the two turning towards the mystery trainer before slowly making their way over when they saw him petting his Charizard.

"W-Who are you...?" Ethan asked in a slightly nervous tone, knowing full well that if he was someone dangerous that they'd probably be sitting ducks.

"...Red..." The trainer said in a soft tone, the two having to strain their ears to catch it.

"Red? Is that you-wait, what!?" Lyra asked only to shout in disbelief as she stared with wide eyes at the young man before her, Ethan giving her a curious look as he turned look at the other trainer.

"You know him, Lyra?" He asked in an equally curious tone, though Lyra quickly forced his head into a bowing gesture as she followed suit.

"W-We aren't worthy to be i-in the presence of someone as great as you!" Lyra stammered in a tone of heavy respect and awe, Ethan managing to free his head as he shot her a dirty glare.

"What's the big idea Lyra?! Is he really someone that great!?" Ethan shouted in anger as he rubbed his slightly aching neck, Lyra soon staring at him like he was the biggest idiot she had ever seen.

"Ethan, that's Red. As in the 'Red'. The world's youngest Champion! The one who's battles we would watch over and over again before we started our journeys! That Red!" Lyra snapped at him as Ethan froze, stiffly turning to face the crimson eyed trainer as a cold sweat soon dropped down his face.

"I-I'm so sorry, Pokemon Champion Red! P-Please forgive me for my lack of respect! I-I'm actually your biggest fan! I've rewatched every one of your battles from when you went through the Indigo League! You were my inspiration when I was a kid!" Ethan gushed as he bowed his head in apology, Lyra making a noise of surprise when she heard the latter part of his statement.

"H-He's lying! I'm actually your biggest fan! Ethan didn't even know how long it took you to get to the Indigo League! What kind of fan wouldn't even know that!" She declared as she stepped out before him, Ethan feeling his brow twitch when he her throwing him under the bus.

Soon, they fell into a small squabble as they butted their foreheads together. Lightning dancing between their eyes as they started listing off random trivia about the raven haired youth before them, Red felt a bit overwhelmed by their excess praise but smiled slightly when he saw how close they were and the energy that they brought to such a dreary place. About to run into another arguement with each other, they found themselves staring at the raven haired trainer as he stared back at them with a small smile.

"A-Ahem! Sorry about that, he just gets worked up over nothing!" Lyra said with a wry laugh, Ethan glowering at her in turn.

"Do not! Don't believe her, Red! She always gets like this around 'cute and hot' guys." Ethan sighed in an exasperated tone, Lyra feeling her face burn hotter then his partner's flames as they fell into another heated arguement.

"...You two are close, aren't you." Red said softly with a small smirk on his face, the two freezing as they turned to look at him.

"W-What!? I-I mean, well yeah! We're childhood friends and all!" Lyra rebuked as a different kind of heat began to spread through her, staring with terrified eyes at Ethan.

"T-That's right! We're as close as any normal childhood friends could be! Nothing more! Definitely wouldn't want to be anything more!" Ethan added as Lyra felt her heart drop little by little, Red seeing it as he moved to tap Ethan on the head gently as he continued to ramble on to her dismay.

"Be nice." Was all he said as the younger trainer snapped his mouth shut, a bit confused before snapping to look at a disheartened Lyra.

"S-Sorry, Lyra." He apologized as she offered him a small smile in turn, the two reconciling as Red smiled softly at the scene.

(Flashback - End)

That was that last that he had seen the pair, the two departing after failing to get an answer as to why he had vanished from the competitive battling scene. When they saw that he wouldn't talk, not that he had even spoken more then a few sentences, they returned from whence they came. After those battles, his team pushed themselves to the absolute limit, Pikachu in particular seemed intent on rectifying the shameful defeat that he had suffered; though it was only shameful on the yellow rodent's behalf.

Defeat was not something that existed in the mental dictionary that belonged to his team. A foreign concept that they never had the displeasure of facing, when they had heard of Pikachu's defeat at the hands of a 'Mega Evolved' Pokemon, they tirelessly poured their collective frustration and shame into hammering their remaining weaknesses out, polishing their already peerless skills and pushing their strengths to the breaking point.

As he watched their practice, offering pointers and suggestions where he saw fit, he had a small smile on his face as his partners decimated and terraformed the landscape around them. While it would have seemed chaotic, wild and seemingly out of Red's control, the fierce smiles and smirks that crossed their faces as they launched attack after attack at each other spoke of something vastly different. Though, that smile thinned when the realization of what he was observing came to his mind.

"It's been so long." He whispered as he gazed across the cloud covered skies, his partners pausing in their training as they made their way over.

The thrill of battle and the adrenaline of a challenge had all but eluded the crimson eyed young man as he gained a melancholy look in his eyes. The path to his newfound home was both treacherous and tedious, and because of that the number of possible challengers were always limited. He had originally taken this as his home because of its secluded location and due to the strength of the wild Pokemon. They had given him and his partners the greatest challenge of their lives, especially the Tyranitar that had set itself as his Charizard's rival.

But over time, those challenges faded to minor inconveniences with how much his team had grown. While he had already expected few challengers with how dangerous it was to climb the mountain, to only have two in ten years was something he could have never predicted. Due to that, Lyra and Ethan had spread the tale of their legendary battles with the phantom trainer of the mountain, being the only two to have reached the summit successfully. While they complied with Red's request to keep his identity hidden, he never said anything about keeping their battles secret. Something the two were ecstatic for as they knew that the only reason they even reached the top was because they worked together, so being able to talk about their battle with their idol made their hearts soar.

Due to their stories, which they proudly broadcasted over Mary's talk show in the Goldenrod Radio Tower, the lore of the young man soon spread across the various other regions. Because of the mystery that surrounded the mountain, it's known dangers and the firsthand accounts by credible sources, he was now hailed as a legend of sorts; a ghost, phantom that no one but the two who spread his legend knew the truth of.

A soft sigh leaving the mouth of the young man, he gazed towards his team as they offered him comforting looks, moving to nuzzle affectionately against him as he smiled softly. This choice had truly come be a curse of sorts to the young man, at the age of twenty one, when he should have been in the prime of his youth he was here alone. That thought resonated within the soul of the crimson eyed young man. He had lived here, at the summit of his homeland's most dangerous mountain, devoid of any human interaction with only his beloved Pokemon to keep him company. It was somewhat ironic, the summit of the mountain was akin to a throne of sorts and him an emperor of that throne. But in doing so, this mountain not only served as his domain but also a prison. A place where he both ruled and was kept isolated.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu suddenly said as he pulled on the raven haired young man's tattered jacket, Red turning to look at the mouse Pokemon.

Once he laid eyes on the yellow mouse, Pikachu nodded its head and pointed towards a familiar looking scene. A break in the clouds showing the distant but nostalgic view of his home of Pallet Town. His eyes widening a bit, he heard his team roar in agreement with Pikachu, their eyes following his as Red gained a fond smile. Nodding his head, he was about to move to recall his friends only for a roar to draw the attention of the seven. Turning, they saw the familiar scarred hide of a certain Tyranitar as it moved towards the group. Meeting Red's gaze, it scanned the faces of the gathered Pokemon before focusing on Charizard.

A deep growl leaving its maw, it charged towards the fire type as the others readied themselves for another battle against the resident persistent battler. But their worries quickly melted and turned to disbelief when they saw Charizard grab Tyranitar and hug it, their eyes widening even more when they heard what sounded like a pleased growl leave the mouth of the green titan. Red's eyes soon softened as a warm smile crossed his face, Charizard doing its best to ignore the snickers and cat calls that his teammates were giving him. Unfortunately for the fire type, Tyranitar continued to nuzzle affectionately against its chest. An irritated growl leaving his maw, Charizard spat out a small flame in contempt as his teammates just snickered harder, though Red approached the two as Tyranitar gained an uncharacteristically worried expression.

"Do you want to come with us? I'm sure Charizard would want you to." He said as the eyes of the green titan widened, a cheeeful bellow resounding as she nodes her head enthusiastically.

"Once I catch you, you'll be sent to Professor Oak's laboratory. I know it may seem scary at first, but we'll be there to get you ok?" Red told the smiling titan, her enthusiasm meting to anxiety until a comforting nuzzle from Charizard quelled it and calmed her.

Smiling at the sight, Red was a bit stunned when Tyranitar moved to nuzzle against himself. But as quickly as it came, he smiled again and rubbed her cheek in an equally affectionate manner, a rumble of content leaving her as he pulled out a Pokeball. Seeing the device brought a few unwanted memories of lesser trainers attempting to catch her, but to be caught by the trainer that commanded such respect from the Charizard that had shattered and warmed her stoney heart, it was nothing but an honor.

Gently tapping it with a claw, she was bathed in red light before being sucked in. And without any resistance, three small shakes later indicated that she was caught. Red saw the ball soon shine white before hearing a strange click as it shrunk and retained a red shine. The raven haired youth blinked before recalling his team besides Pikachu and Charizard. Seeing the Pokeball 'lock' was probably due to the lack of connectivity between his Pokedex and the main system, seeing as his Pokédex was nothing but scrap metal currently. Moving to mount his winged friend, Pikachu followed suit as the reddish orange titan let a deafening roar before parting from the place they had called home for the past decade.

His roar resounding down the mountain, it was mirrored by the roars and cries of the mountain's inhabitants, akin to the masses stating their farewells to their departing king. The residents of Silver Town came to know that day as 'The Day of Parting' as many swore that they saw a winged shadow depart from the summit of Mt. Silver, the cries of the mountain's Pokemon bidding a fond farewell to its strongest.

(Scene Change - Pallet Town)

A fond smile appearing across his face as the homely and familiar sight of his home came into view. Scanning the quaint and quiet town that he grew up in, he blinked in surprise when he saw unfamiliar development happening near the edge of town, a slight frown marring his face at what looked like multistory buildings. Shaking his head, he focused on the nostalgic house with a red colored roof, just now noticing that beneath his joy and nostalgic was anxiety and fear.

Shaking slightly as he neared his home, seeing the garden that his mother no doubt continued to tend to with the aide of her own Pokemon, Charizard landed softly as per the instructions of his trainer. Quickly recalling his friend, he glanced at Pikachu who pouted but nodded as he allowed himself to be recalled as well. Scanning the vicinity, he sighed in relief when he saw that no one noticed him flying in on his Charizard. Taking a breath, he steeled his nerves before stiffly walking to the door of his house, shakily raising a hand and knocking on the door as a warm and nostalgic voice nearly stopped his heart.

"Coming!" The angelic and warm voice of his mother called out as the hurried sound of her footsteps made it to his ears, sweat beginning to run down the sides of his face as the lock to the door was unlatched.

Opening the door, Scarlet was quite surprised to see that her visitor wasn't Samuel, Leaf, Daisy or the mothers of the aforementioned young ladies. Blinking a bit, she was admittedly unnerved by the ragged and tattered young man before her. Offering him a slightly strained smile, she glanced around before focusing on his person with her ruby red eyes.

"U-Umm, hello! I'm Scarlet, did you perhaps get the wrong house? If so I can lead you to where you need to go." She offered in a slightly nervous tone, Red internally cursing as he noticed his mother's rising anxiety.

She looked like she hasn't aged a single day, the same beautiful and youthful face with a full head of healthy and silky raven colored hair; or was like he had grown while she remained untouched by time. Moving to speak, he opened his mouth but a pitiful sounding noise made it out instead. A bit startled at what she heard, Scarlet was growing more anxious as she moved to hold her necklace, her oldest friend resting in the Pokeball that hung from it. Seeing her hands move to the Pokeball that contained the Pokemon that he played with as a child, Red acted without thinking and bowed deeply, startling Scarlet as she took a hesitant step back. About to ask what it was the man wanted once more, she froze when she heard him speak.

"I-I'm... Sorry..." He said softly with a waver in his voice, Scarlet feeling her heart begin to hammer in her chest as the voice that she heard sounded eerily like that of her treasure.

Shakily, she stepped forward and held her hands clasped in front of her chest. Her eyes wide and misty, a noticeable tremble rocked her body as she willed herself to not jump to conclusions before they were reality. Reaching out a hand, she touched his shoulder as the man in front of her jumped at her touch. Then, acting on the instincts that she developed as a mother, she voiced the one thing that had haunted her since her treasure departed without a proper goodbye all those years ago.

"R-Red...?" She asked with hope drowning her voice, Red feeling his own eyes moisten as he raised his face to meet hers.

"I-I'm home..." He said softly with a tremble in his voice, Scarlet losing all restraint as she rushed to embrace her treasure.

"R-Red! It's really my Red! It's... It's really my little Charmander...!" She sobbed as she tightened her grip on him, Red doing everything in his power to break down as he returned her embrace with tears falling from his eyes.

Spending a few minutes locked into a warm embrace, Scarlet quickly ushered him inside before they caused a scene. Almost immediately, she angrily demanded that he shower and clean up, Red smiling fondly as he headed to the bathroom. Watching him go, her anger melted to utter bliss as she rushed to her room when the sound of the shower met her ears. Pulling out one of the many outfits that she had made yearly for her beloved boy, she smiled fondly as she removed the one she had just finished sewing, taking it and placing it in her son's room.

(Time Skip - Twenty Five Minutes Later)

A sigh of content leaving his mouth as he exited the shower, Red paused as he realized that he lacked any clothes. Slowly, he made his way to his room and saw a neatly folded pile of clothes resting on his bed. Looking around, he smiled softly when he took in the nostalgic scene before him, quickly getting dressed when he heard his mother call out that lunch was ready. Looking at himself in the mirror, he smiled when he saw that his mother's needlework was as impressive as ever. Making his way down, he saw that his mother had prepared all of his childhood favorites, the loving and bright smile on her face causing him to look down in shame.

"Red? What's wrong, sweetie?" Scarlet asked in a concerned tone, Red shaking his head as he made his way to the table.

"I'm sorry... For not saying goodbye properly..." He said in a guilty tone, Scarlet smiling as she moved to embrace him in a loving manner.

"All that matters is that you're here now, Red. That my little Charmander is back safe and sound. And after you finish eating, you are going directly to the barbershop!" She declared in a jovial and smiling tone, Red laughing softly as he helped himself to his mother's famous home cooking.

Finishing with a more polite manner then she remembered him having, she smiled when he picked up the plates and carried them to wash in the sink. Falling into a nostalgic and familiar pattern, where one would cook and the other clean, Scarlet just let herself watch her treasure smile and hum to himself as he cleaned up after their meal. Finishing in a few minutes, he was given a handful of Pokedollars before he could say anything, his mother smiling in a mischievous manner before shooing him out of the house to get a proper haircut and shave. Smiling wryly, he turned and took a breath before visiting the town barber.

Walking through town brought nostalgic memories for the young man, Red seeing a few new houses that weren't there previously. Slowing his pace as he passed two familiar houses, he gained a small smile when he saw Blue and Leaf's houses. A part of him wanting to visit them, he decided against it seeing as he failed to give them a notice of his departure. As his mind wandered, he was keenly aware of the lack of people, even by the afternoon's standard. Shrugging, he soon reached the familiar scene of the barber he had visited since he was a child, the familiar but aged face of Rogan smiling as he read the paper. Opening the door to the shop, he directed a bright smile at the young man as he offered him a wave.

"Afternoon sir! Looking for a bit of service, eh?" He asked with a good natured chuckle, Red nodding as he followed the man to a seat.

"So, what'll it be sir?" Rogan asked as he sharpened his straight razor, Red mulling over the question before nodding.

"Clean shaven with a 'Charmander Special'." He said with embarrassment clearly evident during the latter part of his statement, Rogan's eyes widening as he snapped to stare at the young man.

"'C-Charmander Special'? Y-You know what that is? You a friend of Scarlet?" Rogan asked in a curious tone, Red nodding his head as the man smiled.

"Well, if you know what that is, you gotta be a good kid! Sorry bout that, son, just glad that there was someone else that she was comfortable enough to share that cut with." Rogan said with a chuckle, applying shaving cream to Red's face before working with swift and precise motions.

"Umm... Where is everyone?" Red asked after a few seconds of silence, remembering that the older man hated silence.

"Ah, you noticed huh! Haha, well the week has been kind of quiet lately with old Oak having the town's kids play with the Pokemon at his lab. Should be about two to three hours before you'll see the kids playing like normal!" He replied with a chuckle, Red smiling as Rogan started cutting his hair.

Working fast, Rogan smiled as he brushed the remaining hair off of the young man. When he finished and got a good look at the man, he nearly dropped his razor when he realized just who it was that he was looking at. Red seeing that expression, he offered Rogan a small and wry smile before a pair of hands slammed onto his shoulders.

"Red my boy, is that really you!?" He shouted in disbelief, Red nodding his head as Rogan let a heartfelt chuckle leave his mouth.

"Ahaha! No wonder you would know that cut, it's your signature cut after all, haha!" Rogan said with a grin, the two spending a few minutes to catch up as Red learned that the man's daughter had gotten married recently with one of the Professor's aides.

"Grr... I don't want to believe that my little angel is actually married to that runt, but alas, she's happy and I'll be a grandpa in no time, ha... Red, when you get married make sure you tell your mother who the lucky lady is, knowing you you'll get one heck of a girl!" Rogan said with a hearty laugh, Red flushing slightly as the man shook his head.

"But don't rush into it, son. You'll know who it is when you meet her, might even have to make a choice if there is more then one. But that's enough of me taking up your day, don't worry about paying you hear? I still owe Scarlet big time for when she helped me and my wife with that Diglet problem so don't think about it!" He declared in a jovial manner as Red smiled softly, thanking the man as he exited the shop.

Feeling freed from his excess hair and beard, he finally felt like he was a proper member of human society once again. The thought causing a slight chuckle to leave him, he returned home to see his mother tending to the garden with her own Pokemon released. Her Vileplume was helping with weeding the garden, her Nidoqueen was sunbathing along with her Ninetales, her Clefable was helping her Vaporeon water the flowers while her ever loyal Dragonite stood protectively by her side as she checked the berry trees for any ripe specimens.

At the sound of his approaching footsteps, Dragonite narrowed its eyes before facing the young man. Huffing in a threatening manner, it gained a confused look as the human in front of it looked unaffected by its threat. Growing more curious and slightly more agitated, it was about to let out a threatening roar only to purr as he stroked a certain spot that turned it to mush. The sound drawing Scarlet's attention, she quickly turned and let a sigh of relief leave when she saw it was her Red petting her Dragonite.

"Ufufufu, it seems like you remember Dragonite's favorite place to be pet, huh!" She said with a smile, quickly calling over the rest of her team as they hustled to see the what the commotion was.

"Everyone, I want you to guess who that handsome young man over there is!" She chirped as they gained confused looks, moving to Red who didn't seem intimidated or afraid of them to their surprise.

Moving his hand from petting Dragonite, who let a soft groan of disappointment, he proceeded to pet and stroke each of them as they instantly melted in a manner that only their trainer and her family had ever been able to do. At that notion, Nidoqueen let a sudden squeal and embraced the raven haired man, continuing to cry happily as it swung him around. The act stunning the group as the normally laidback and uninterested Pokemon avoided humans besides Scarlet's family, they soon connected the dots as the dog piled onto the duo.

Excited and happy cries resounding, Scarlet watched the scene with a melting smile on her face, watching her beloved Red get peppered with kisses and licks. Soon enough, she managed to reel in her team to their disappointment, Red giving each of them a long and comforting hug that they returned wholeheartedly.

"Where were they this morning?" Red asked as he wiped the slober and drool off of him, Scarlet smiling as she wiped a smudge that he wouldn't be able to reach.

"At Professor Oak's lab, sweetie. They're usually here but there is a Pokemon event there this week and he needed a few veterans to help keep the peace. Only Dragonite was with me, but you know how she is with strangers, especially when I'm alone." She said with a giggle, Dragonite flushing slightly as she let a slightly embarrassed rumble leave her mouth.

"Ah! That reminds me Red, why don't you go visit! I'm sure that you Pokemon have gotten much stronger then I last saw them in the Indigo League. Say, why don't you let them out for a bit!" She said before gleefully suggesting as Red nodded, collecting his six partners before releasing them.

At the sight of him releasing his team, Scarlet's shifted a bit closer to her, not that they concerned that they would attack the mother of their trainer. Soon enough, the forms of Red's Pikachu, Charizard, Venusaur, Blastoise, Snorlax and Espeon came into view as they focused their eyes on the opposing Pokemon in front of them. A challenging roar coming from Blastoise and Venusaur, they were cut off when Charizard and Pikachu moved towards Scarlet, her team bristling slightly but stilled when she walked calmly towards them. Stopping in front of each other, Charizard lowered its head in a respectful manner as Pikachu jumped onto her shoulder and nuzzled her affectionately against her cheek, startling the rest of their team as they were only respectful to those who held immense power.

"My, you two have sure grown, haven't you..." She whispered in a soft and nostalgic tone, rubbing Charizard under his jaw as he growled in bliss.

"Thank you, all of you for protecting my Red all these years." She said in a tone of absolute gratitude as she bowed towards his team, many of them instantly knowing and feeling what Charizard and Pikachu felt as the lowered themselves and prostrated in absolute respect towards the one who raised their trainer.

"Ufufufu! I'm so glad to see that you are all so well behaved, I wish my Pokemon could be the same way." She teased as her team grumbled in embarrassment, glaring at the opposing team as they snickered at their faces.

Falling into a comfortable atmosphere, the two teams slowly got to know each other, Charizard being the most respectful as he lowered his head towards the older Pokemon in front of him, his teammates looking at him as if he was a completely foreign being. Growling at them, he huffed as Pikachu patted him on the shoulder. Espeon and Vaporeon got along instantly, the two female Pokemon enjoying the company of the other as Vaporeon told her younger counterpart stories of her and her trainer's travels, something completely foreign to the lavender colored Pokemon who was picked up at the foot of Mt. Silver.

Venusaur and Vileplume enjoyed bathing in the sun's rays, talking about things only grass types could understand. Blastoise retired to the pond that laid beside the large tree in the back of the garden, a content sound emanating from the giant as Clefable laid on top of his shell. Nidoqueen was sunbathing with Ninetales once again, though they were disappointed that Red wasn't snuggling with them like he did when he was younger. Charizard and Pikachu were listening to Dragonite recount the battles that she had, the two listening intently to draw more knowledge from the veteran battler.

Seeing their Pokemon get along, Red and Scarlet shared smiles as they took a seat on the garden bench, falling into a fit of fond memories themselves. After what seemed like an hour, their Pokemon suddenly tensed, turning their attention to the sound of oncoming footsteps. Tuning their heads as well, Red and Scarlet were surprised to see Professor Oak leading a large group of children, teens and adults; the Pokemon Professor blinking when he saw the unfamiliar her vaguely familiar man beside his neighbor.

"Samuel! What brings you out here?" Scarlet asked with a smile as the group stopped outside her home's fence, the Professor smiling as he waved at her.

"It's good to see you as well, Scarlet! And I was hoping to get your help and deal with a rather rowdy group of young trainers causing problems for the others here. I'd do it myself but I doubt that it would do much as they know of my history as a trainer." Oak explained as Scarlet sighed, shaking her head at the youth these days before an idea crossed her mind.

"Actually Samuel, I have a better idea! Why don't you let this young man deal with them! I can guarantee you that he can deal with those naughty children as easily as me!" She declared as Red snapped to look at her with wide eyes, Scarlet smiling brightly as he sighed and sagged his shoulders.

"Hmm... Are you up to it young man? I don't want to trouble you with something if you aren't comfortable with it." Oak said in a soft and understanding tone, Red vehemently shaking his head as he waved his hands in front of him.

"Is that so? Haha, well I thank you young man! I'll go get those youngsters ready for you, if you could please get him to my lab in a few minutes that would be grand, Scarlet." Oak said with a grin, Scarlet smiling as she confirmed his statement.

Watching them leave, Red let a soft sigh leave as his mother giggled. Getting a small pout in turn, she simply moved into the house as Red called his Pokemon over to explain the situation. A scoff leaving the mouth of his team at the thought of troubling themselves with disciplining children, they quickly agreed when they heard that it was his mother that put him up to it. Snickering at the raven haired teen as he recalled them, only Pikachu remained as he took his prized position on his shoulder. About to leave, his mother stopped him as she held out something that stunned him, an exact replica of his beloved hat that she had made all those years ago. Staring at it, she offered him a fond smile as she gently placed it on his head.

"There. Now my little Charmander is all set. Now, let's go and show those kids how a real trainer battles." Scarlet said in a soft tone as she recalled her own team, the two heading to the lab while Red seemed to have more power and confidence in his step.

(Scene Change - Pallet Town: Professor Oak's Laboratory)

"Come'on Professor! Just let us do our own thing already! We're obviously better then those guys!"

"Yeah! I was ranked number one in my class at the Pokemon Academy!"

"Sheesh, if they're just gonna cry then let them! I wanna battle this so called 'ace' you said lives in this place!"

"I'm seriously bored right now. You said we'd be battling, right?"

"Ugh, can I just go home! If there's no battles I don't have anything else I want to do!"

As the numerous groans and complaints sounded from the battleground, five youthful faces could be seen lounging about as Professor Oak and his group of parents and young trainers awaited the arrival of Scarlet and her recommended trainer. Their wait was for naught as the sound of footsteps soon made it to their ears, the Professor's eyes nearly bugging from their sockets when he finally realized who exactly it was that was accompanying Scarlet. His signature outfit, his raven hair and those crimson eyes; there was no way the one who had given him his first Pokemon could forget such a talented young man. About to shout, he saw Scarlet place a finger to her lips and wink, the man sighing as she truly hadn't lost her mischievous nature. He could only pray that she knew what she was doing. When they finally arrived, the group of five stared with disinterested eyes at the raven haired trainer with a Pikachu on his shoulder. Snorting when they saw the sight, they turned to the beautiful woman standing next to him and shook their heads.

"That's them? A try hard and an old lady?" A young trainer with purple hair named Jess asked in a deadpanned manner, Scarlet wincing as she gloomed at the jab.

"Pfft, lame. I expected someone actually cool like Leaf or Blue, not an edgy looking guy and his grandma." Another trainer with brown hair named Kaz jeered as Scarlet's shoulders sagged at the insult, Oak began to panic inwardly as the lid on a certain Champion was no doubt about to blow.

"Yeah, I'm just wasting my time here." A trainer with beige hair named Jason drawled as he stretched, sighing as he turned to his friends to gauge their interests.

"Can you call Leaf or Blue instead Professor? They look so lame." A trainer with black hair named Alex moaned as she laid on the ground, idly kicking her legs around as she stared at the pair with bored eyes.

"This was a waste of time, Professor. Please excuse me." A trainer with blonde hair named Chloe lamented as she moved to leave, though they all paused when Red stepped onto the field with his eyes shadowed by his bangs and hat.

About to speak, they quieted when Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and onto the field as they stared with incredulous eyes at the sight. The five sharing glances, they started laughing while pointing at the calm but calculating Pokemon. A few seconds later, they wiped their eyes as Kaz stepped forward with a grin on his face.

"Fine, fine; I'll humor ya for the laugh pal! Let's end this quick Rhydon!" Kaz called out as the horned Pokemon let a roar upon release, some of those in the audience shivering as they recalled facing the monster.

"I'll let you have the first move, so go ahead and do your worst." Kaz drawled as he looked at his Pokegear for any new messages, though he snapped his attention back when a pained groan left the mouth of his Rhydon.

Everyone who watched the scene had wide eyes, the sight of a Pikachu defeating a behemoth like a Rhydon with a single attack baffling them. After hearing the prideful words of the opposing trainer, Pikachu appeared before the once uncaring and now stunned Rhydon before a bone shattering Iron Tail shattered its stone-like hide when it connected with its jaw. Instantly the beast was unconscious and in need of medical attention with the small pool of crimson that started to form beneath its mouth. Stunned at what they had just witnessed, they were broken from their trance by the capped trainer who caused it.

"Next." Was all Red said without a hint of respect, his tone frigid and sharp as the young trainers before him unconsciously shuddered at his voice.

Recalling Rhydon, Raz felt himself shaking slightly as he was stared down by the monster before him. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he released his Donphan and ordered it to use Rollout. The tusked Pokemon letting a crying, it spun its body before racing towards the motionless Pikachu. But once again, Donphan was sent flying back with a pained cry as another brutal Iron Tail ended its time in the conscious realm. Watching as his second Pokemon laid prone, he quickly sent out his Heracross as the same one-move knock out occurred.

After his sixth was beaten without a simple scratch being made on the opposing Pikachu, he simply recalled it and slumped down in shock. His friends staring fearfully and with disbelieving expression at the trainer responsible for breaking the second strongest of their group, as they were forced to partake in the battle by the terrifying trainer, they were beaten down and their team and pride broken like glass. One by one, they fell to him as Chloe watched with wide eyes. Her body shaking, seeing the friends and Pokemon she had spent countless hours playing, grooming, eating, sleeping and training with get their hardwork and pride shattered and trampled on both infuriated and terrified her as the man responsible turned to face her.

"Next." The order was something akin to a death knell, Chloe feeling her mouth go dry as the Pokeball held in her hand shook madly with fear.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she released the Pokemon held in her hand as it roared in defiance. Before she could call an attack, that roar turned to a gurgle of defeat as a Thunder Punch from Pikachu buried itself into the abdomen of her Aggron. The steel beast falling, she recalled it and released her next battler. Again, it was a fruitless effort as the small rodent defeated the rest of her team while giving them a look of pure contempt, as if they were a complete and utter waste of its time. When her Zangoose fell, so did she as Chloe dropped to her knees. For those watching they felt a pang of pity when they looked at the five with their once fierce and proud spirits broken, though Oak nodded his head as he made his way over.

"You all did well, considering it was him you were facing." He told them as they rose their empty eyes to look at the Professor, Oak smiling softly as he gestured to the man who had crushed them as easily as they did the others behind him.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked in a soft tone, Oak grinning as he turned to look at Red.

"To have faced the Champion of Kanto, this was to be expected don't you think?" He said loud enough to catch the attention of everyone present, their eyes widening as they snapped to look at the young man being lightly scolded by his mother.

"That's..." Jess whispers with shining eyes, jumping up as her friends followed suit.

"Mhmm, that my young trainers is the youngest Champion in the history of the world himself, also known as the 'Forgotten Champion', Red. Oh, and the reason he seemed so angry at you all was because the woman you had insulted earlier was his mother. He has quite a soft spot for her you know." He said with a chuckle, moving to greet his young friend as the five slowly accepted the humbling defeat they had experienced first hand.

(Time Skip - Half an Hour Later)

After the beating that Red gave them, the five trainers who unbalanced the events for day openly apologized for their unbecoming behavior. Once things were settled and blown over, Red not lessening his glare until they personally apologized to his mother, Oak dismissed the rest of the day's activities in order to catch up with the young man. Once he was assured that he was indeed well both physically and mentally, next came the most exciting part for the Professor as he asked to examine the young man's Pokemon.

"My word..." Was all that he could offered as he took in the forms of the titans that appeared before him, almost not trusting his own eyes until he saw the same disbelieving expressions on the faces of his aides.

If the Pokémon owned by the current reigning Champions were considered monsters, then Red's collection of Pokemon could only be described as biological aberrations of the most extreme.

Charizard was nearly two and a half times larger then average, with hyper developed wings and forelimbs. It's internal flame seemed to burn nearly thrice as hot as the norm and that was without the adrenaline from battle. It's hide was a much deeper orange, bordering on the red that it's pre-evolution had. It's skin was littered with discolored patches from frostbite and scars from the various battles it had to endure on the summit of Mt. Silver.

His Blastoise was larger then normal and had a shell four times harder then the norm, its cannons able to produce water with triple the power of the standard species. It's hide was a deeper blue, bordering navy with splotches of discolored skin from exposure to the extreme cold. It's shell bearing the horrific scars of battle as it was chipped and gouged in certain areas, its cannons being a faded gray with a number of scars lining the barrels.

His Venusaur was a behemoth of its kind, it's trunk and flower being twice as large and nearly four times as effective at gathering, absorbing and releasing solar energy. It's hide being a dark blue-green with a number of light discolored patches from the killing cold of the mountain, its trunk, body and flower bearing the scars of countless battles.

His Snorlax was physically the same size if not a bit larger then the norm, but it was its accelerated metabolism and ability to release its stored energy in a successive manner that made it an absolute irregularly in comparison to its slothful brethren, seemingly awake and ready for battle despite its bulk. It's body was littered with scars that showed the muscle of the beast beneath its surprising soft fur, a few discolored patches of skin littering it's body from the biting cold.

His Espeon was physically the same but in terms of psychic power was almost maddening to comprehend, being far more potent and powerful then that of an Alakazam that had years of training. It's body was free of any scars but the small patches of frost bitten skin could be seen beneath her beautiful coat.

As for his Pikachu, monstrosity couldn't even describe what the small rodent was. In terms of electric power, it would dwarf even fully evolved electric types like Electivire, Eelektross and perhaps even a Mega Ampharos if he had gone toe to toe with it. The small rodent was not free from any scars, the mouse Pokemon bearing a surprisingly large number of them though you would have to part his fur to clearly see them. His ears and tail were slightly discolored from the frigid winds that tormented them the past decade.

Even the Tyranitar that he had recently acquired was a phenomenal specimen, without proper training it was even able to stand toe to toe with the other titans the young man owned. If he put in the same amount of care into her, she would no doubt be another anomaly in his possession.

Simply put, the small number of pokemon that he owned were in a completely different dimension from any other of their species. The scars, discolored skin, steel-like hide and unimaginable power that they held were a testament to the inhospitable and harsh location that they chose to live and train in. Even the scars that littered Red's arms spoke of the harshness of their lives that they endured the past decade, a tempering of their minds and bodies to the absolute maximum. Truly, what Oak was seeing before him were the pinnacle of their respective species. He even doubted his own Charizard's odds against the titan before him.

As he watched the young man interact with his Pokemon, he saw none of the power that they oozed nor any of the innate confidence that came with such unbelievable power. All he saw was Pokemon and trainer, all of them laughing and playing with each other as Red got the rest of the team used to their newest addition, though Tyranitar was essentially already a member of their little family by the sheer number of times she challenged them when she was still wild. Seeing that, the fact he was still able to laugh and smile with them brought a smile to the Professor, an idea soon forming as he grinned slightly.

"Say Red, what would you say about joining a little tournament?" He asked as he quickly gained the attention of not only Red but his Pokemon as well, the Professor sweatdropping a bit at their expectant stares.

"There is going to be a certain tournament, one held every two and a half years, where the best of the best enter and battle for the title of 'Pokemon Master'. Not only that but it is also a way to gauge the power that each region has in regards to each other, and it just so happens that Kanto may be needing a bit of help based on the previous years results. Normally you would have to qualify via the usual battles with the Elite Four and Champion but seeing as you were a Champion, though it was revoked when you missed your first challenger, I could vouch for you and have you enter under my name. I hear that both Leaf and Blue are finally entering this year so it will be an interesting one if you were to also join." He explained with a large grin crossing his face, Red blinking before a smile crossed his face.

Turning to face his team, he needn't ask their opinions as they all roared and cried in agreement. Seeing that the raven haired youth turned to look at the Professor as Oak simply chuckled in turn. Nodding his head, he simply filled out a 'Black Writ of Challenge' before handing it to the crimson eyed young man to keep.

"Just show that to the receptionist and they'll let you in no doubt. Haha, I had better pack my things! There are three months until the tournament begins Red, so you had better inform your mother and get ready to head to Unova. The tournament will take place in Driftviel City, be sure to confirm your participation before the day of the tournament ok?" He explained as Red nodded, recalling his Pokemon before pausing as he pointed at Tyranitar as Oak chuckled and nodded.

"Right my boy, just give me one second." He said before rushing to the back of his lab, Red rubbing the green titan as she growled in absolute delight at his coddling.

"Here you are Red, an updated Pokédex seeing a yours is well... Scrapmetal. It's updated with data of Pokemon from Kanto to Kalos, with my associate Professor Kukui still gathering data from Alola to add later on. With this particular model, I've authorized a release for the 'On Hold' limit of six; you'll be able to carry as many Pokemon as you physically can, though I set the release limit at twelve, you are also able to manually swap out the Pokemon you can release on hand with a function in your new Pokédex. There is also an emergency override that will allow you to release all the Pokemon you have on hand if it exceeds twelve but if that is activated it will alert both myself and the Pokemon League and there had better be a valid reason for doing so." Oak explained as he handed Red something that looked like a earpiece and glove, the young man looking at it in curiosity as the older man chuckled.

"It looks quite different doesn't it? It was specifically made to not interfere with veteran trainers when in the heat of battle. It simply goes into your ear and when needed you just tap it or gesture opening your old Pokédex, which I added since it might be muscle memory for you at this point. Once you do a virtual array will appear before your eyes and link with that glove which will give manual control by just moving your fingers and tapping. But it would be better to experience it then be told how to use it by a technologically inept man like me." Oak explained with a chuckle before Red nodded and equipped the devices, doing as the Professor said and miming the action of opening his old Pokédex.

Instantly as transparent light blue screen appeared as the young man flinched, seeing the screen follow the path of his gaze as he looked around. A bit excited, he looked at the various symbols that lined the screen, seeing it display time, temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind direction and speed, his current location via latitude and longitude. Those were only the overlaying symbols, Red seeing an 'Advanced' tab he could open should he desire.

Opting to get familiar with it later, he turned to look at Professor Oak as a reticule surrounded his head before various pieces of information appeared about the Professor revolving Pokemon that was either publicly known or could be found online in a database or accesible domain. Turning to look at a Pidgey that was being examined by a nearby aide, he saw a number of logs about its species, typing, height, weight, national dex number, attacks and status. Smiling, he gestured closing his old Pokédex as the screen faded from view. Seeing that he had grasped the basics of it, Oak smiled as he patted the young man on the shoulder.

"Well, that is all there I have to give you, Red. Ah, you can also change the color of that screen and of the letters and symbols, I do know how fond you are of your namesake, haha! Now go! I am expecting great things my boy!" Oak chuckled as Red offered in a grateful and polite bow, exiting the lab as he rushed to inform his mother of what was to come.

(Time Skip - An Hour Later)

(Scene Change - Pallet Town: Red's Home)

"So... You're going to be leaving again, huh." Scarlet said with a soft and somber tone, Red's eyes softening as he moved to gently hold his mother's hands.

"I'll be back after the tournament ends. Promise." He assured her as she offered him a loving smile, moving to kiss him on the forehead as he felt his cheeks redden.

"Ha... I couldn't expect that my little Charmander would stay when a tournament as grand as the Pokemon World Tournament was happening. Just promise that you and your Pokemon eat properly and get plenty of sleep ok?" She asked as he nodded adamantly, Scarlet giggling as she ushered him to pack while she made him lunch.

Within a few minutes, she saw him emerge with a new sleek red backpack with white lining it. Seeing him outfitted in his new clothes, hat and backpack, she couldn't help but offer him a fond and somber smile as he returned it. Moving over, she embraced him and let her head fall against his chest, shaking her head as she turned to look up at him.

"Honestly, I guess I can't call you my little Charmander anymore, huh sweetie?" Scarlet giggled as Red frowned slightly, shaking his head as she paused to look at him.

"Umm... I-I'll always be your little Charmander... Just like how you'll always be my mother." He told her with pink coloring his cheeks, Scarlet smiling loving as she tiptoed to kiss him on the forehead.

"That's enough flattery from you, Red! Now go, go and show everyone who the most powerful trainer in the world is!" She declared with a grin on her face, Red returning it as he moved to leave the house.

"Ah, just one second Red!" Scarlet called out as she rushed to her room, Red obediently listening to his mother as the sound of boxes being shuffled could be heard before she came rushing back out.

"I almost forgot to give this to you! It's an import from Unova, a Xtransceiver! I got a matching pair from an old friend of mine, so now I can call you whenever I want!" She chirped in a cheerful tone, Red smiling softly as he equipped the white and crimson device.

"Now you're all set to go. Please call me when you reach Unova ok sweetie? Love you." She asked before giving him one more kiss on the forehead, Red smiling as he released his Charizard.

Making her way over to the titan, she gently held its head and asked him to watch over him. Getting a gentle and affirmative rumble in turn, she hugged the head of the fire type before bidding the pair farewell. Watching them leave, she let a sad smile grace her features before a sigh left her mouth. Placing her hands on her hip, she shook her head before snapping it forward. Turning, she saw her beloved team staring at her with knowing eyes as Dragonite let a small 'coo' of conformation. Seeing that, a very familiar smile graced her features as she pulled out her Xtransciever and dialed a certain number.

"Hello, Nicole? It's Scarlet! I know, it's been quite some time hasn't it! I was just hoping that you could do a small favor for me! Mhmm... Yes... Yes I remember and I said sorry didn't I! Well, someone still owes me for helping them reclaim Moltres' flame after they 'lost' it, but I guess I could just go ahead and ask their father but... Ah, I knew I could count on you, Nicole! Mhmm, it'll be a rematch then alright, goodbye!" Scarlet said as she spoke to a silver haired woman, obviously getting under the skin of the woman based on the red of her face and sighs that escaped.

"Alright ladies, I think it's time for a bit of catching up, don't you all think?" She asked her team as she turned to face them, getting fierce smiles in turn she headed inside her home to prepare to reveal another legend thought lost to the world.

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay ****awesome.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Red" - Person Talking

"_Red_" - Person Thinking

**"Red"** – Pokemon Talking

**"_Red_"** \- Pokemon Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

Requisition - Chapter 2

(Scene Change - En Route to Unova)

Causally cruising through the air, Red fiddled with the finer functions of his new Pokédex. One of the most helpful features proved to be the 'Map' function that doubles as a navigation program. Currently using it, it was showing him a simple and safe route that trainers used when manmade transportation wasn't for them. With the program showing that he still had a few hours left before reaching Aspertia City, which was the closest city he could land in. While a daunting task for even the most frequent of flyers, it was as easy as breathing for his Charizard. A bit lost in fiddling with its more complicated functions, he was keenly unaware of the eyes of those who they passed, the various calls and shouts never making it to his ears as his Charizard increased his speed to avoid troubling his trainer.

(Scene Change - Aspertia City)

Landing on the outskirts of Aspertia City, managing to avoid alerting any passing persons, Red recalled his Charizard before taking a lungful of the Unovan air. Exhaling, he let a soft smile grace his face before heading towards the city. Passing through the forest, he activated his Pokédex and indulged himself with the new Pokemon that passed by, though none of them caught his eye as a potential teammate. Soon enough he exited the southern forest and found himself near a few residential homes, seeing that the town looked much more beautiful on the ground then in the air.

Following the neat road in front of him, he let his eyes wander only to pause when a number of cheers and shouts suddenly made it to his ears. Following the voices that were increasingly growing in volume, he saw that they were originating from a building that read 'Aspertia City Trainers' School'. A bit curious, he entered and saw that it was indeed just a school, but the vigorous shouts were originating from the back of the building, Red raising a brow when he saw a large open area with a number of occupied battling grounds.

His eyes scanning the participating trainers, he soon grew disinterested when he noticed that they were all either beginning their journeys or novices. Stopping his gaze on the large crowd gathered near the back of the grounds, he approached and saw a black haired young man in a white dress shirt and blue pants, a red tie and laptop acting as accessories to him as he commanded a Pokemon his Pokédex identified as a 'Stoutland'.

His opponent was a brunette with her hair done up into two buns with twin tails trailing from them with a visor holding her hair in place. Having deep blue eyes, she was wearing a white top with light blue half-sleeves and a pink camisole with a ribbon holding the straps together in the back, black tights with a yellow skirt, a pair of light blue and white high top folded sneakers with a pink and white shoulder bag finishing off her outfit. She was currently ordering a Pokemon known as 'Darmanitan', seemingly overwhelming the canine Pokemon as it let loose a Flamethrower.

"Ha, I concede, Rosa. You're as strong as I remember." Cheren declared with a sigh, Rosa grinning as she flashed a victory sign while they recalled their Pokemon.

"That was a close one, Cheren! If your Stoutland has landed that Reversal it would've been over!" Rosa countered with a smile, the Gym Leader smiling at her humbleness before he turned to address the crowd.

"Well? Would anyone like to challenge our town's strongest before she has to go? I'm sure that Rosa wouldn't mind any challengers, right?" Cheren asked as a murmur when through the crowd, many opting to remain silent as she had taken down their leader's strongest without using hers.

A somber smile crossing the face of the young lady at the lack of challengers, Red felt something twitch inside of him as he immediately recognized the look on her face. A look of utter loneliness and resignation, a look he could imagine being found on the faces of a good number of trainers both veteran and novice who have reached the peak in their respective homes, regions, towns, cities or schools.

A soft sigh leaving her mouth, she waved her hands at the crowd and was about to say her farewells when Red stepped forward. Ensuring that his hat was shadowing his signature eyes, though he hoped that he had indeed been forgotten to the throes of time, he quietly moved forward as the crowd parted and grew quiet. Seeing him approach, Rosa grinned immediately and was about to greet him in her usual warm and energetic manner only to freeze when she felt something from the stranger. It wasn't just the brunette who felt it as Cheren swallowed the small lump that formed in his throat at the presence the man exuded, feeling the same immense pressure that his best friend and the current Champion exuded.

Her bright eyes becoming even brighter, she quickly moved to her end of the battling field as Red followed suit, the brunette nodding at him as he pulled out a Pokeball. Watching him, she could feel her heart quicken with excitement that she hasn't felt since her iconic clash with Hilbert from the year past. Since then, no one had managed to get her blood pumping with the same excitement she had felt then, all her challengers being good but not good enough to excite her. She still had a few more months before she was allowed to challenge the Champion once more, and the thought killed her that she had so much time to fill before meeting a challenge.

But the man in front of her, she felt her spine tingle, her heart hammer, sweat begin to form on her forehead and palms when she faced him, feeling an overwhelming pressure that he silently exuded. Swallowing another lump that formed in her throat, she started shaking a bit in giddiness as she readied a Pokeball. That excitement reached its breaking point as she saw him release his first Pokemon.

"Huh?" Was the general consensus of the crowd as they saw the diminutive form of Pikachu appear, some even laughing and pointing at the cute creature as it simply stared in a calm and collected manner at Rosa.

"Serperior be ready!" She warned as she released her starter, her eyes never leaving the form of the small mouse in front of her.

A cry leaving its mouth, Rosa's Serperior looked around before focusing on the Pikachu in front of it. Instantly, tension filled it's body as did Rosa's as it didn't feel like they were facing off against a Pikachu but against something similar to the Black Kyurem Ghetsis had unleashed upon them in the Giant Chasm. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she locked eyes with her beloved partner and shared a nod of their heads before refocusing on the titans before them.

"Protect!" She shouted on instinct as a terrifying bolt of lightning struck the protective green shell her partner swiftly erected, the Regal Pokemon immediately gathering solar energy once its barrier fell.

"Solarbeam!" Rosa ordered as the serpentine Pokemon let loose a bright yellowish white beam of energy, Pikachu merely holding its ground as a sudden golden panel appeared in front of it.

The Solarbeam connecting with the Light Screen, it was immediately stopped as the yellow mouse lowered its body. Then, once Serperior ceased the fruitless attack, Pikachu surged forward before connecting a devastating Quick Attack against the serpentine Pokemon. Gritting its teeth, Rosa's oldest friend absorbed the impact before wrapping its body around Pikachu's form. Her body glowing green, her eyes then shone a bright red as she used Giga Drain: Pikachu gritting its teeth as the snake Pokemon greedily sapped it's strength. Sparks flying from his cheeks, Pikachu let a fierce cry sound before discharging an obscene amount of electricity.

"Serperior!" Rosa cried in shock, her eyes widening when she saw her partner get enveloped in a flash of immense lightning.

Soon that flash of lightning passed as the sporadically sparking form of her partner teetered unsteadily, Pikachu a safe distance away from the Regal Pokemon as he continued to stare down its serpentine form. Shakily, she rose her head and glared at the calm face of her opponent, wincing before collapsing in an unconscious heap. The eyes of everyone widening, they slowly turned to look at the mysterious trainer as his Pikachu calmly made his way back and onto his shoulder. Staring for a few more seconds, Rosa recalled her partner before glancing at the man who had beaten her best. A strange heat entering her heart, a bit of pink colored her cheeks as she rushed towards him and extended her hand.

"T-Thank you! That was a great battle!" She said with a bright smile on her face, Red smiling softly as her pink cheeks darkened at the sight.

"Likewise." He said softly as a small shiver danced down the young lady's spine, the two sharing a handshake as the crowd went wild.

Cheers and shouts resounding, Rosa was rushed by her fans as they immediately barraged her with questions. A wry smile crossing her face, she turned to see if her competitor was suffering the same fate only to see that he was already gone. Her stunned face gaining the attention of everyone else, they followed her gaze and panicked when they saw he left without a single question. As the crowd rallied to find the mystery man, Rosa smiled as she placed a hand over chest, knowing just where a trainer of his caliber would be doing in Unova if he wasn't looking for a chance at being Champion. If he was going to be there, she would have her chance at redemption. Lightly patting herself on the cheeks, she took a breath before excusing herself from the crowd of people, intent on heading home and preparing for the next three months.

(Scene Change - Red's Location)

After escaping the school grounds when the flood of people started surging, Red found himself at the Lookout overlooking Aspertia City. A fond smile crossing his face at the wonderful sight of the city and open landscape, he glanced at his wrist and activated his Xtransceiver and laughed softly at the sight of a single contact that was listed on the screen. Lightly tapping the name of his mother, the screen changed to show the call process as he stared at it.

['_Red! I was waiting for you to call me! I guess you arrived in Unova, huh? How was the trip? Have you eaten? Shouldn't you be getting ready for bed!?'_]

Smiling gently at his mother's voice, he leaned over the railing of the Lookout as he filled his mother on the day's events. His mother growing brighter and happier when he told her of the various new Pokemon that he had seen, though she laughed a bit at his assessment of the strengths of the Pokemon he had seen. The minutes passing as though they were seconds, Scarlet bid her treasure a good night and him returning it. Cutting off the transmission, he activated his Pokédex and accessed the map function.

Giving the region a more through glance, he focused his eyes on a desolate looking mountain marked as 'off limits' on the map by the League. Growing curious, he saw that it was situated south of Twist Mountain and east of Chargestone Cave, the warning concerning sightings of a mysterious and highly aggressive Pokemon. At the mention of a Pokemon like that the raven haired youth grew a bit excited, intent on seeing just what this Pokemon had to offer and even perhaps the youth would find a new teammate. Releasing his Charizard, he quickly mounted it and directed his old friend, a growl of agreement leaving his maw as they sped towards the north.

(Time Skip - Three Hours Later)

(Scene Change - Twist Mountain Range: Southern Most Mountain)

Taking a leisurely flight to the mountain range, he saw a stark difference between the mountain before him and the rest of the range. Twist Mountain was currently free of snow, the spring and coming summer seasons ensuring that it was so. But the southern mist mountain was currently capped with a strange snow, Red seeing a blizzard run through its summit. Patting his mount Charizard nodded his head and descended, growing a curious when a sudden white out enveloped the two when they set foot on the mountain.

"Somethings here." Red whispered as he glanced to the left, Charizard letting loose a hellish inferno that tore a hole through the blizzard they were trapped in.

Smirking at the clear hole that was slowly mended, the orange Pokemon merely snorted at the sight. Turning to his trainer and seeing that he was free from any tension, he sharpened his senses and found a curious scent wafting through the air. Rumbling slightly to the crimson eyed youth, Red smirked slightly and nodded as the orange titan flashed a savage grin.

Taking a deep breath, Charizard let loose a large scale Heat Wave that quickly ripped through the blizzard. Keeping the wave going for a few minutes, angered chittering could be heard from outside of the white out. Snapping his fingers, Charizard ceased his attack and prepared itself as a purple blur suddenly rocketed towards the duo. Charizard taking a breath, he unleashed a heavy torrent of flames that swallowed the oncoming form.

A pained cry sounding from the stream of flames, a sudden blast of purple and black energy forced Charizard to brace himself and take the brunt of the attack. Grinning slightly as he felt the power behind the attack, he roared in defiance as he scattered the beam with a whip of his arms. Once the wisps of energy faded, Red and Charizard looked with curiosity at the creature standing aggressively before them.

It was a bipedal, insectoid Pokémon with a metal body and a saucer-shaped head. Its body being primarily purple with several gray markings, the most prominent being on the tips of its claws and part of its abdomen. It had what seemed to be two large red eyes and a small white part that could be either its mouth or a vent, something Red narrowed his eyes at. With thin arms with overlapping segments, each of those arms ended with a single, pointed claw. Its segmented legs each ended with a large, upward curving claw. But the most striking thing of the creature before him was the cannon-like structure that was mounted on its back.

Quickly activating his Pokédex, Red narrowed his eyes when he found no data on the creature before him. Immediately he thought back to the Pokemon that resided in the bowels of Cerulean Cave, the same Pokemon that had kept the Pokeball that he had used to capture it all those years ago. Snapping out of his thoughts, he saw the creature eye him and his Charizard curiously, obviously on alert based on the way it was cautiously circling the duo.

Seeing that, he smiled softly as the reports stated that the creature attacked on sight; the high level trainers sent to investigate being either turned away by the seemingly endless snow or ambushed and knocked unconscious before they could react. With the evidence now staring him in the face, Red had a larger smile cross his face at the promise the Pokemon before him displayed.

But before he could order his partner, a familiar voice echoed trough the area, one that fit so well into the current situation. Snapping his head to the right, he widened his eyes when the familiar form of Mewtwo stood with the same calm expression on its face, gently holding onto a Pokeball with its hands as it stared at the human who bested it. About to speak, Red was cut off when the insectoid Pokemon lunged at him.

Snarling, Charizard's fists became enveloped by fire as he turned to slug the charging Pokemon only to pause when a rich blue aura shrouded the attacker. Turning, the orange titan saw Mewtwo with its hand extended, a calm fury in its eyes as it teleported beside its trainer. An angry chittering sounding from the bound Pokemon, Mewtwo turned towards Red as the raven haired youth offered it a fond smile.

"It's good to see you... You are free, you know? I only caught you to prevent others from catching and forcing you to battle." He said softly as Mewtwo's eyes softened in fondness, nuzzling against the chest of its trainer as he smiled gently.

For a man-made Pokemon exposed to nothing but violence, cruelty, pain and sorrow; Red came to find that beneath the cold and intimidating shell was a kind, warm and extremely affectionate Pokemon. Running his hand down Mewtwo's head, he got a strange purr of delight as Charizard snorted at the sight. The sound drawing Mewtwo's attention, it narrowed it eyed on the titan as the bitter memory of being beaten down by it still stung. But seeing as the one who captured it showed it the same warmth that Mewtwo was shown, it made no move to challenge it. But the staring contest between the two was interrupted when Red addressed their forgotten opponent.

"So... What are you?" He asked the still struggling Pokemon, an irritated chitter sounding as it 'glared' at the man.

"Mewtwo, release it. After you do, both of you be ready." He ordered in a calm and collected tone, the two immediately shelving their petty battle and following his orders.

Mewtwo unclenching it's partially closed hand, the insectoid Pokemon darted backwards to a distance it deemed enough to intercept anything the two before it would attempt to do. A confused chitter leaving its mouth, it tilted its head at the young man as he merely stared at it in curiosity. Shifting its attention to the two Pokemon beside it, it chittered at them as the two let out proud cries before nuzzling their trainer. Staring at the sight, it focused its attention on Mewtwo and chittered some more, Mewtwo speaking softly as the insectoid Pokemon seemed taken aback by what it had said.

Quieting, the insectoid Pokemon looked directly into Red's eyes as the trainer met its gaze unflinchingly. An intrigued sound leaving its mouth, its body shifted before folding into a compact form, quickly taking to the air to begin circling the trio beneath it before taking off. Seeming to understand what it wanted, Red mounted Charizard before the titan took to the air, Mewtwo following suit as they tailed the surprisingly quick Pokemon.

(Time Skip - Fifteen Minutes Later)

Flying steadily for a quarter of an hour, the insectoid Pokemon led the trio to an abandoned looking facility. The sight bringing a frown to Red and Charizard while Mewtwo stared at it with a melancholy tint to its eyes, they entered when the chittering of the Pokemon who led them there could be heard echoing from within.

Moving to open the front door, Red wasn't surprised to see that it was practically welded closed by advanced security measures. Moving where the chittering could be heard from, he saw a gaping hole in the side of the facility. Smirking slightly, he headed inside with Charizard and Mewtwo at the ready; the trio growing more so when they saw the unfamiliar and unsettling technology that filled the halls. Finally they arrived at their destination when they saw the insectoid Pokemon standing in a room with a shattered test tube, a strange hive-like structure resting in the rafters.

Glancing around, Red cautiously made his way into the room as the Pokemon never took its gaze off of his person. Heading to the terminal that laid beside the shattered tube, he activated it as a dim light flickered slightly before powering on with a bit of difficulty. Navigating the accessible files and documents, he narrowed his eyes when he saw the information pertaining to the specimen before him. Scanning and memorizing everything that was associated with the Pokemon before turning to face it.

"...Genesect. That's what you are, huh?" Red said in a soft tone as the insectoid Pokemon chittered softly, tensing when the crimson eyed youth made his way towards it.

Stopping in front of the Pokemon, Red lifted his hand towards it as it flinched before lashing out with its clawed arm. Charizard and Mewtwo snarling at the sight, the paused when their trainer held his arm out, signaling for them to stop. The extended arm of Genesect having connected with the cheek of the crimson eyed youth, a thin line of blood ran down his cheek as the Pokemon stared hard into his eyes.

"It's been hard, hasn't it..." Red whispered in a soft and gentle tone, his outstretched hand finally connecting with the head of the now frozen Pokemon.

Confusion filling its being, Genesect felt its instincts scream at it to break loose of the contact being made with its body. The tortured mass of its mind shouted at it to destroy the human in front of it, the very same kind of creature that subjected it to hell before abandoning it to rot in solitude. But it's heart soothed those rabid thoughts, something innate telling the insectoid Pokemon that the human before it would not betray it or harm it.

Slowly and gently, Red stroked the head of the Paleozoic Pokemon as it stiffened at the strange and foreign feeling. But slowly, it leaned into the warm and soft hand stroking its head, a soft sound emanating from it as Charizard and Mewtwo smirked knowing firsthand of the magic hands of their trainer. Spending a few more minutes simply rubbing the head of the pokemon, Red removed his hand as Genesect chittered a bit in disappointment. It's sulky and disappointed thoughts were soon broken by the voice of the human before it, locking eyes as someone sparked in the Pokémon's chest.

"I know you've been through a lot, Mewtwo here is probably the only who can truly understand what you've been through. I'm not going to make you join me and my teammates, but would you let me catch you Genesect? If I catch you, no one else will be able to do so, no one will be able to make you do anything you don't want to." Red explained to the Pokemon, Genesect turning to Mewtwo and Charizard as they chatted back at the Pokemon.

Turning towards Red, Genesect nodded as the young man pulled out an empty Pokeball. Tentatively reaching its arm out, it tapped on the center of the device as a red energy enveloped it. Quickly being sucked inside, Red saw no resistance to the capture process as the Pokeball sounded with the chime of a successful capture. Nodding his head, he released the newly caught Pokemon as Genesect turned to face him.

"There, you're free to go. But you've got to promise to stop attacking humans who pass your territory." He explained to the Pokemon, Genesect tilting its head before shaking it and moving to rub its head against Red's chest.

Smiling at the gesture, he rubbed its head as a pleased sound emanated from its mouth. After a few seconds, he released the rest of his team as they cried and roared in challenge. Though they quieted when they saw Mewtwo standing beside Charizard. Tyranitar glowering as she moved to embrace the fire type to establish her dominance to Mewtwo and Genesect's confusion. Settling everyone down, he directed their attention to Mewtwo and Genesect.

"Everyone, these are our new family members. You all remember Mewtwo, right? Mewtwo is going to be officially joining us. Now this is Genesect, it's past is similar to Mewtwo's so please help it ease into our group. Let's just spend the day getting to know each other." He told the Pokemon before him, getting cries of agreement as they moved to welcome the new members.

(Time Skip - The Next Day)

In the abandoned facility, which Red found to be owned by a 'Team Plasma', the young man had found that its interior was surprisingly well stocked despite how it looked physically decrepit. A bit of dusting was needed for the room and bed he had taken, but the mess hall was full of unexpired canned goods, which the young man took full advantage of. Exploring the rest of the facility, it was found that while it was almost exclusively for use for furthering research on Genesect, there was a recovery room and training center for use by the Pokemon if the members who would've no doubt be guarding the facility in its prime.

Seeing that, the crimson eyed youth took over the facility, Genesect seemingly uncaring when he expressed the idea to use the facility as their own base of operations. With a place for them to call theirs, all that mattered to Red was seeing the strengths of his newly acquired teammates and to further strengthen his old companions, no doubt having fallen behind on current strategies and attacks in the decade he was in solitude.

"Alright listen up. We'll be pairing off to help guage Mewtwo, Genesect and Tyranitar. Espeon, you will take on Mewtwo, I want you two to push the limits of your psychic power. Charizard, continue to push against Tyranitar, I know of your feelings but shelve them and power on. Blastoise, work with Genesect, you have the most varied move set and it'll help with refining your new attacks. The rest of you; Pikachu, Venusaur and Snorlax; keep working on improving the attacks you've recently learned." He ordered the groups as the nodded and went about their business, breaking off into their groups and heading to varied parts of the facility.

As they did, Red went around fiddling with the foreign technology of the training facility before the 'Auto Room Repair', 'Kinetic Psychological Monitering' and 'Damage and Sound Dampening' functions came to life; though he had to have Pikachu unleash a large amount of electricity to power the systems. Seeing his team begin their training, Red activated his Pokédex and began reading about the new discoveries that pertained to his teammates, growing more and more intrigued as he read on. With the advent of a place to call their home for the course of their stay in Unova, Red and his team merely prepared themselves the best they could for the coming three months before the world would see them once more.

(Scene Change - Pallet Town: Professor Oak's Laboratory)

"Gramps!" The angered, confused and excited voice of her grandson tore through the peaceful and quiet lab grounds, Oak sighing wryly as he turned to see both his grandson and Leaf sprinting towards him.

"Blue, Leaf, how nice to see the both of you. What do I owe this pleasure?" Oak asked with a smile on his face, though he sweatdropped a bit when he saw the deadpanned expressions on their faces.

"Professor, I think we all know why we're here." Leaf drawled in a level tone, her eyes glinting with a light that drew a shiver from the two men.

"G-Geez Gramps, hurry up and spill! She's been like this since she dragged me outta my gym! First thing she does in the three years I see her is kidnap me, there's no telling what kinda crazy thing she'll do if you don't talk!" Blue snapped as her eyes fell on him, the brunette wincing under her whithering glare.

"Haha, well I can't read your minds so I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." The elderly man replied in a wry tone, Leaf glowering even more as the two took a precautionary step away from her.

"Red! I heard from Rogan that he's back! Now where is he!?" Leaf snarled as she ground her teeth in impatience, Oak sweating a bit as her mood simply worsened at his expression.

"A-Ah! Yes! Young Red is indeed back from his decade of solitude!" Oak stated as the eyes of the two shone when they heard the truth from a reliable source, Leaf grinning at the thought of seeing her old friend while Blue smirked at the prospect of a rematch.

"But alas, he is already gone. He left for Unova yesterday." He added as their moods dropped, Leaf looking broken while Blue tussled his hair in aggravation.

"Ugh! That no good, blackmailing, cocky piece of shit!" Blue shouted at the top of his lungs, Leaf hitting him over the head with her hat at both his language and the target of said words.

"Quiet you! Where did he go exactly Professor?" Leaf demanded as she pulled out her PokeNav, accessing its map function as Oak laughed wryly.

"Well, about that... I don't know. I told him about the Pokemon World Tournament and that it was going to be held in Unova, after that he left after saying goodbye to Scarlet and myself." He explained as Leaf nodded vigorously, bidding the two farewell before sprinting to his house.

"He's a deadman, the poor sap." Blue quipped as Oak laughed heartily, the young man shaking his head as he stretched.

"Not going to pursue him, Blue?" Oak asked his grandson in a curious tone, Blue shaking his head as he placed his hands behind his head.

"Eh, I'll see him in three months. What's a few more months when I haven't seen him in a decade anyway. Plus I gotta focus on my training for our rematch." The young man explained as Oak chuckled in turn, the young man racing to his house to prepare for the coming months.

With Leaf, she staggered to the front of her childhood friend's home after sprinting the entirety of the way from Oak's Laboratory. Taking a few seconds to catch her breath, and doing her best not to throw up on the doorstep, she fixed her appearance before knocking on the door. A familiar and cheerful voice sounding from inside, Leaf soon saw Scarlet appear with her signature smile as the brunette glowered when reminded of the older woman's beauty.

"Leaf! It's so good to see you, sweetie!" The raven haired beauty said in a delighted tone, Leaf smiling as she entered the cozy home.

"I'm sorry for dropping by without calling but it's really important, Ms. Scarlet!" Leaf said in an urgent tone, Scarlet smiling slightly as she could hazard a guess as to what was causing the brunette such distress.

"Ufufu! I'm sorry Leaf, but I don't know where my little Red went. He called me earlier like I asked him to but he didn't tell me where he was." She reported as Leaf's shoulders slumped, Scarlet hugging the downtrodden girl as she grumbled under her breath.

"Stupid Red... I should've been the first one you came to visit..." Leaf muttered in a hurt and sulky tone, Scarlet smiling a bit wryly at the predicament her treasure had found himself him.

"Well, since you're here Leaf, why don't you stay for lunch? And if you're feeling up to it, why don't we have ourselves a little battle?" Scarlet asked as Leaf smiled at the idea of her cooking, though she paled slightly when the mention of battle left the raven haired beauty's throat.

Meekly nodding when she noticed the mischievous glint in the older woman's eyes, she swallowed the lump in her throat when she remembered the woman's inhuman aptitude at battling. Leaf entered the house akin to someone heading to their doom, Scarlet's giggling sounding like the chime of a haunting bell. The door closing behind the pair, the shining sun overhead seemed to darken a bit with the passing of a small cloud.

(Time Skip - One Month Later)

(Scene Change - Twist Mountain Range: Southern Mountain Pass)

"Ugh... Seriously, Dad? Oh yeah, just go ahead and send your daughter out to investigate an area where a hyper aggressive unknown Pokemon is known to frequent when you could just have a trainer from the League go and investigate. Not like a single twenty six year old like me has any plans, anyway..." Professor Aurea Juniper lamented as she sighed in both exasperation and the reminder of her love life, the chestnut haired young lady readjusting the straps of her backpack before wiping the sweat from her brow.

Fetching her water bottle, she took a quick swig before scanning the area. Seeing nothing nearby, she headed up the rocky path and saw something over the rocky outcroppings. Taking out her binoculars, she focused on the shadow as it seemed to notice her attention. Almost as quickly as she focused on the shadow, it rocketed towards her before she dropped the ocular enhancing device. Turning around, she sprinted back down the path towards a crevice she remembered seeing. Stumbling a bit when she nearly passed it, she quickly tried to fit herself through it only for her heart to freeze as her backpack got snagged on an outcrop of rock.

Working to free herself from her pack, she let out a scream when the maw of the Pokemon from earlier tore onto her backpack. Forcefully yanking at the pack, she let a louder cry when she was pulled from her hiding place. Wincing when she managed to free her arms from the backpack's slings, she winced when she impacted with rough ground, feeling a sudden sharp pain jolt through her knee. Forcing herself to stand and face her attacker, she felt a bead of sweat run down the side of her face as the Pokemon in front of her spat out the inedible object in its mouth.

It was a three-headed, draconic Pokémon with six thin, black wings that ended in two points on its back. A fuchsia-colored collar on its neck surrounded its head. The main head is dark blue with black eyes and fuchsia pupils. Its two arms were also black, with each one harboring a head; similarly blue with black eyes and small fuchsia collars on the inside. Its abdomen had two fuchsia stripes and its feet atrophied, having no claws or defined soles, though they did sport three small claw-like toes. Its tail sported a fuchsia stripe and ended with a black tuft.

"A w-wild Hydreigon?" Aurea whispered in a terrified tone, grimacing as she shakily and slowly made a move for the sole Pokeball that laid on her waist and the canister on her hip.

Seeing the subtle movement, the Brutal Pokemon let a roar that forced the Professor to freeze in her action. Stilling herself, she tried to force herself to calm and ease her tension. Remembering that it's eyesight was much poorer then it's senses of smell and hearing, the young Professor ceased all unnecessary movement as the dragon type stilled and sniffed the air. Growling slightly, it brought its main head to sniff at the Professor, Aurea shivering as its breath brushed against her face. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she quickly sprayed the can of 'Max Repel' directly into the face of the dragon as it roared in a mix of irritation and agony as it inhaled a lungful of the foul smelling and potent aerosol.

Reeling as it spat and gagged on the Pokemon repellent, Hydreigon thrashed wildly as Aurea ditched her pack and sprinted up the path she had returned from moments earlier. Terror, adrenaline and panic flooding her veins; Aurea barely rounded the corner of the path when a beam of multicolored draconian energy tore through the space she was in seconds earlier. Paling at the sight of its use of Dragon Pulse, the Professor moved to secure the Pokeball of her partner and released the Pokemon within.

Her beloved partner was a furry, gray chinchilla-like Pokémon. It had large ears located to the sides of its head, with red insides partly covered by tufts of fur. Its eyes were large and brown, with a small, rounded nose. Its limbs were slightly rounded and small, and its tail is long, fluffy and pearly white in color. It also had two large long fluffs on its head that wrapped around its back.

"Cinccino, we're in real trouble!" She cried in a terrified tone, her partner narrowing her eyes in contempt as she hopped in front of her partner protectively.

That protective stance faltered slightly when the sight of the enraged dragon rounded the corner, snarling with untold rage as the pair before it shivered at the anger in its expression. Gritting her teeth, Cinccino let out a defiant cry as she sped towards the black dragon with surprising speed before her tail gained a metallic sheen. Jumping before the angered Pokemon, she slammed her tail against the dragon type's jaw as it flinched at the blow. Growling, it's maw became electrified as the smaller Pokemon paled at the sight.

"Substitute!" Aurea called out in fright, her partner calming at her voice as her body suddenly gained white glow before fading away.

Snapping its jaws at the airborne Pokemon, Hydreigon felt its Thunder Fang connect with Cinccino's body. But what felt like flesh quickly became smoky air as it applied more power to its bite, seeing the smaller Pokemon grinning beneath it. Snarling once more, it wasn't able to evade as the tufts of fur on Cinccino's head began to glow orange. A cry leaving her mouth, she sent five consecutive spinning waves of silver energy at the dragon. The Rock Blast connecting cleanly, Hydreigon let out a pained snark as it's own tail gained a metallic sheen.

Spinning around it whipped its tail at the smaller Pokemon without restraint, Cinccino crying in pain as the force of the Iron Tail sent it over the side of the mountain path. Her eyes wide with horror, Aurea didn't spend a second even debating what to do as she rushed to catch her beloved partner. Jumping after the airborne Pokemon, she felt herself falling for a few seconds before she caught her partner. Clutching Cinccino close to her chest, she saw the rough terrain beneath them and winced, snapping her eyed shut and tightening her hold on her partner in an attempt to shield her Cinccino from any further damage.

Bracing herself for the crippling if not fatal fall, Aurea felt herself letting a few tears fall as she saw her life flash before her eyes. Her childhood and the loneliness she felt when she was unable to make a friend, meeting her partner and best friend for the first time when she visited her father's lab to begin her journey, the day she had decided on giving up being a trainer when her partner suffered injuries that nearly put her out of commission permanently. Memory after memory flooded her mind, ultimately climaxing at the event that she was currently experiencing.

The chestnut haired woman bitterly lamented her failure to enjoy the rest of her life or experience love like her parents had, sorrowfully seeing how terribly lonely she was even as an adult. But just as she was about to begrudgingly accept the inevitable, she felt herself get scooped from the air as her eyes snapped open in a mix of panic and shock. Her misty gaze focusing on the cream-colored underbelly in front of her, she saw that it was a dark orange colored dragon who had saved her, a Charizard.

Her eyes widening at the sight of such a rare pokemon, especially so in the Unova region, they widened even more at the sight of the young man riding on top of it. Not trusting her voice at the moment, she merely allowed herself to be carried to a nearby plateau where they landed. Gently being set down, she wobbled on unsteady legs before falling to her knees as she watched the man dismount the Charizard. About to speak, a familiar and chilling roar drew her gaze towards the same, enraged Hydreigon from moments before. Panic filling her, she was about to warn the young man of the unusually strong Pokemon only catch the sight of his Charizard scoffing in a dismissive manner at the opposing dragon.

Her eyes widening with complete and utter disbelief at what she just saw, Hydreigon didn't take too kindly to being treated as anything other then an apex predator, roaring in anger as it shrouded itself in bluish, wispy energy that took form of a draconic spirit around its body. Seeing the Pokemon using Dragon Rush, Charizard smirked as he merely tightened his stance, another hateful roar sounding as the opposing dragon rushed towards the fire type. A blink being all that she did, Aurea suddenly found herself bracing as a heavy tremor rocked the area, debris and dust covering the grounds as an eerie silence prevailed over the area.

Cracking an eye open, she soon widened them when the unbelievable sight of Charizard standing before a grounded Hydreigon entered her view. A weak and confused cry leaving its mouth, Charizard merely grinned down at it as his trainer made his way over. Activating his Pokédex, Red scanned the Pokemon and smirked at what he saw, seeing the well of untapped potential lurking in the dragon. Kneeling, Aurea saw him talk with the weakened dragon, finding herself suddenly shouting when she saw one its heads bite and latch onto the man's forearm.

Her shout was for naught as he merely stroked the offending appendage, Red feeling no anger or power behind the sudden action. Slowly but surely, the dragon released its hold and gazed at the man with all three heads, soon nodding softly as he tossed out a Pokeball and captured it. A sigh leaving his mouth, Red stood up and rubbed his lightly throbbing forearm, Charizard glaring at the Pokeball that held the party responsible for wounding his trainer. Seeing that familiar look of anger, Red simply rubbed his head as he calmed and soothed the rage flowing through him.

Almost as an afterthought, Red turned towards Aurea as she flinched upon seeing his crimson eyes. Shivering a bit when she felt him staring not at her but through her, as if he was assessing her innate value or character. But she found herself drawn in his gaze when his eyes softened considerably, the chestnut haired woman finding herself a bit self conscious while he made his way over.

"Are you ok?" He asked in a soft and worried tone, Aurea offering a small smile as she nodded slightly.

"I am, thanks to you and your Charizard. I'm Aurea, Aurea Juniper. And this is Cinccino, she's my partner and best friend." Aurea answered as she introduced herself and her now awake partner, opting to exclude her status as Professor as it seemed like a better idea in the event he wasn't as kind as he appeared.

"That's good. I'm Red." He said in a curt but polite manner, tipping his hat as she giggled a bit at both the gesture and his name.

About to stand, Aurea grimaced when she felt her leg flare with pain. Giving them a once over, she winced when she saw a nasty looking bruise on her knee; the woman deducing that she was able to ignore it with the fear and adrenaline that was pumping through her body. Seeing that, Red knelt by the woman as he looked at the injury.

"Mmm, can't walk. Let's get you to the nearest town." He said while motioning for Charizard to come over, Aurea flushing a bit when he asked whether she felt more comfortable being held or riding.

Stating that she would rather ride, helped her mount his companion before telling him to head towards the town that laid in the southeast. A bit curious, Aurea let loose a sudden and surprised scream as Charizard took off as per his trainer's orders. Immediately gripping the orange titan's neck, the young Professor prayed to whatever entity that would heed her prayers that she survived the high speed form of travel pushed onto her. While his old friend sped off, Red released one of his never companions as it scanned the area in curiosity.

"Let's go, Genesect. We're heading towards the southeast." He told the insectoid Pokemon, Genesect chittering happily as it folded its body before Red mounted it.

Letting a competitive sound emanate from its mouth, it took of with an impressive rush of air trailing behind it. The capped man kneeling slightly, he had one hand holding his hat while the other rested on the head of his companion for stability as they chased after the trail Charizard left for them. A few more minutes passed before Red asked the Paleozoic Pokemon to slow and land; Genesect nodding as it remembered the words its trainer told it of its existence and rarity. Smiling, Red thanked his friend before recalling it, making his way out of the forest and through the nearby gates of the city.

(Scene Change - Driftveil City)

As he walked through the streets, Red admired the city he was passing through. The strong but gentle winds carrying the ocean air, the bustling harbor and busy streets, the city was full of an energy that brought a smile to the crimson eyed young man's face. Continuing to sightsee, he was broken from it when a clamor could be seen in front of the Pokemon Center. Making his way over to see what it was about, he smiled wryly when the form of Aurea with her arms flailing could be seen making scene. She froze when she caught sight of him before glaring at him with a face Red with anger and embarrassment.

"You! You didn't come along with the two of us! Do you know how embarrassing it was to be seen like this!? I couldn't dismount without risking hurting my knee and your Charizard wouldn't let the nurses, other trainers or Pokemon help me down!" She shouted at Red when he came into view, Charizard smirking as he lowered himself to all fours, Aurea staring blankly at the blatant display of obedience while the crowd gathered laughed heartily at the scene.

"Oh? Looks like Professor Juniper has finally found her spring!

"Haha, glad you found a man before hitting thirty, Aurea!"

"Ah, young love! Don't worry dearie, these kinds of fights happen often!"

As the jeers, cat calls and laughs directed at the pair started to ramp up, Red recalled his Charizard before he picked the red faced and shaking Professor up in a bridal carry, many squealing at the sight of such a romantic and mythical technique. Hurriedly he made his way into the center as the Nurse Joy tending the counter offered a giggle at the poor Professor's expense. But she quickly dropped the teasing expression when she saw the injury on her person, hastily ordering the young man carrying her to move her to a nearby table.

Setting her down gently, Nurse Joy called for her Audino as the Pokemon quickly came from the back room. Stopping by the trio, she saw the injury on Aurea before a worried cry left her mouth, the three smiling at her concern as she held her hands out in front of her body. Soon a pink sphere appeared between her hands before she spread them, a pulse of comforting and warm energy spreading through the room as Aurea felt her injured knee tingle. Glancing down, she saw the dark bruise lessen considerably to a slight red, the swelling that accompanied it shrinking to almost nothing.

Smiling at the sight, Aurea petted the Pokemon who basked in the affectionate gesture. Seeing that she was fine and out of danger, Red silently made his way to leave only for a hand to clamp onto his shoulder. Turning, he was met with the sweetly smiling face of Aurea as he raised a brow at her current expression, which seemed to get a bit more strained at his own.

"Oh? Where do you think you're going? After that little stunt you pulled, don't you're getting off that easy!" She snapped at him in an irritated torn, the raven haired youth raising a brow in a questioning manner.

"Ha... I guess that joke fell through too. Seriously, at least let me buy you lunch for all that you did for me, I insist." Aurea sighed a bit in defeat when she saw his lack of reaction, staring at him with a serious gaze when she stated her offer.

Seeing that look on her face, a look her remembered far too well on Leaf, Daisy and his own mother's faces, he simply showed a soft smile and nodded his head. At his acceptance of her offer, the young Professor beamed a radiant smile at him before hopping off the table she was occupying. Giving her knee a few test stretches, she grinned when she saw that there wasn't a lick of discomfort felt. Bidding the fair nurse and Pokemon who had treated her so quickly and efficiently, Aurea grabbed Red's arm with hers as she led them out of the Pokemon Center.

Feeling and smelling the salty sea air without the pretense of being injured, Aurea had a sigh of content as she tightened her grip on her companion's arm. Red seeing her content expression, he was about to offer her a smile only to see her shiver a bit when a particularly chilly wind whispered by. Slowing their walk to a stop, he unlinked his arm from hers as she froze. About to apologize about overstepping his boundaries and personal space, she quieted when she saw him shed the red and white jacket he had.

About to question him about the act, seeing as it was a bit chillier then usual in the port town, the question faded when he wrapped it around her smaller frame. The courteous act flooded her face with foreign embarrassment and confusion, she meekly lowered her head as she cursed her lack of experience in the romantic field. If it was as easy as researching the origin of species she wouldn't be single now would she?

"Ready to go?" Red asked in a polite tone as he held offered his arm, Aurea flushing a bit more before gingerly taking the offered appendage.

Feeling a bit awkward and uncomfortable at first, the young Professor slowly but surely felt her tension and embarrassment melt away when met with the smile of the young man. Soon enough the two were enjoying a simple lunch at a local restaurant, Aurea finding herself growing more and more interested in the quiet but amiable young man sitting across from her, telling her a bit of his past.

"I guess you've got to get going, huh?" She asked in a soft and slightly disappointed tone, Red nodding as he released his Charizard.

"Sorry, Aurea, need to train. But thank you, for today. I had fun." Red replied in an equally soft and apologetic tone, though he offered her his sincerest gratitude for the lively and entertaining afternoon.

"No problem Red, I should be thanking you. Not for just saving me but taking the time to be my friend. Hehe, I'm not as mature as the other Professors yet and I'm definitely not used to dealing with people who aren't researchers, so I'm thankful that you didn't get weirded out or annoyed by me and my random rambling." She said in an honest tone, Red's eyes softening as he knew the pains of being a socially awkward person.

"Don't worry, we'll meet again. Promise." He replied with a smile, Aurea returning it as she swallowed the lump in her throat and summoned the courage she was supposed to save for tomorrow.

"B-Bye!" She shouted before rushing towards him and giving the raven haired youth a kiss on the cheek, her face burning as she ran back towards the Pokemon Center without turning back.

Red standing there with his eyes a bit wide in surprise, he shook his head in a good natured manner as he turned to look at his Charizard. The orange titan chuckling as he lowered his body slightly, Red hopping onto his partner as they took off to the skies. Watching him go from behind a building, Aurea held her hand over her heart as she desperately tried to ease its hammering. Sighing, she turned before freezing when she saw the bright and smiling expression on the face of the last person she would have wanted to see what just transpired.

"So... When can I expect grandkids!" Cedric Juniper asked with a half joking half serious tone, his beloved daughter dipping her head as he continued to laugh at her expense.

"You... You are the worst, Dad!" She snapped at him as he flinched and backed away in fright, laughing wryly as she stomped up to him.

"Not only did you send me off to an area where a rampant Pokemon has been terrorizing, you barely left me any data about it! And now this!? I'm going to be the least of your worries when I tell Mom about this!" She continued as he began sweating bullets, praying for a way to appease his daughter before she unleashed his beloved but utterly terrifying wife on him.

"Oh? Please, do tell Aurea. I would certainly love to know what happened." The sickly sweet voice of Leyland Juniper cut in as the two turned to face her, Aurea smirking while Cedric paled.

"Mother! Father sent to Twist Mountain all alone with only Cinccino! He could've had League trainers go but he sent me instead! I was attacked by a Hydreigon before Red rescued me, but I could've been a goner if it weren't for him!" She lamented to her mother in an overly dramatic fashion, Leyland doing everything in her power to avoid breaking out into a laugh.

"I see... So, Red, was it? When can we expect him for dinner?" She teased her daughter as Aurea froze, Cedric snorting as he joined his wife in teasing their daughter.

(Scene Change - Twist Mountain: Abandoned Plasma Facility)

"Everyone, we've a new teammate. Let's make her feel welcomed." Red said as he got a cry of agreement in turn, Charizard opting to remain silent as he saw the familiar form of Hydreigon appear.

Letting out a challenging roar, the Brutal Pokemon was nearly thrown to the wall when her roar was but a squeak in comparison to the titans before her. Tending when she saw them circle her, unconsciously and to her utter mortification, she began shaking a bit as her instincts implored her to run. But before she could go anyway, Charizard stepped forward and locked gazes with it. At their current distance even the poor eyesight of the dragon could clearly see the message he was conveying.

However, it was also in that moment that sparked the future troubles for the orange titan, as Hydreigon had finally found a mate worthy of her attention. Rumbling in a submissive manner, the dragon nuzzled against the now frozen form of Charizard as a number of cries could be heard echoing through the room. As Venusaur and Blastoise chortled loudly at their dear brother's 'misfortune' the others simply laughed good naturedly. There was only one individual that objected, and did so vocally and physically as a spite of stone ruptured from the ground and separated the two.

Tyranitar snarled fiercely as she glared down the strumpet that dared to steal the affections of her king, scoffing at the pathetic form of the three headed dragon before her. There was, after all, only one queen to a king and unfortunately for the newcomer, she had already secured that position. Their heads slamming against each other, the two dark types snarled in challenge as the others kept a close eye on them. But before things could escalate, Red broke up the stare down when he banged a ladle against a pot, the Pokemon turning to him as he lifted the lid of the pot.

"Lunch." Was all he said in a cool and collected tone, his eyes seeming to shine as his Pokemon, sans Hydreigon, immediately rushed to their dining area.

Watching with curious eyes, Hydreigon watched her new trainer serve her fellow Pokemon with what looked like joy and happiness on his face. The dragon did have to admit that the smell of what he was filling the bowls with was tantalizing, she opted to stay away from the others as they ate. When Red saw that, noticing the challenging glare Tyranitar was sending her, he shook his head before securing a bowl for his new addition. Making his way over, he saw her body tense more and more the closer he got. Ignoring the building tension, he set the bowl in front of her and sat beside her; Hydreigon raising her heads to stare at him as he returned it. But instead of growing anxious or nervous at her stare, he merely smiled and moved his hand to her head.

"It's good, you should eat before it gets cold." He told her in a soft and gentle tone, the dragon unconsciously rumbling in delight when he rubbed a part of her jaw that caused immense pleasure to fill her.

Her eyes becoming a bit half lidded at his magical touch, she debated following his suggestion and filling her somewhat full stomach. But seeing as it was just that, a suggestion, Hydreigon opted to ignore it and simply settle into the embrace of her new trainer. Her other heads joinging, they pressed into Red with a bit more force, the dragon letting a growl of content leave as he smiled at the sound. Growing a bit too content, Red made a sound of surprise when she fell on top of him, snoozing softly as she tried to bury herself into his person.

A soft laugh leaving his mouth at her rather cute action, the intimate and cozy scene was being watched with sets of eyes that varied in their emotions. Mirth, warmth, jealousy, envy; the lids on a few of the Pokemon blew when they saw the enviable position the newcomer had found herself in, Mewtwo, Genesect and Espeon twitching a bit in irritation when they saw Hydreigon snuggle into his shoulder. But before they could act on the jealous impulses of their minds, one look from their trainer was all that was needed to embed the seeds of fear into them. After all, the risk of losing the various luxuries that he provided for them was far from worth a cuddle session with the raven haired youth.

"Do anything and you won't get brushed, petted or eat homemade food for the rest of the week."

Seeing the trio back away and sulk, he laugh lightly before continuing to stroke the main head of the dragon resting on top of him. While doing so he activated his Pokédex, reading over the information of his new capture and familiarizing himself with her data. Smiling softly when read that her species was 'violent and destructive', he shook his head when he glanced down at the lightly snoring dragon. As he continued reading, the excitement that he felt of the coming tournament only grew as the days counted down, the crimson eyed youth hoping that it would live up to its name.

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay ****awesome.**


	3. Chapter 3

"Red" - Person Talking

"_Red_" - Person Thinking

**"Red"** – Pokemon Talking

**"_Red_"** \- Pokemon Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

Requisition - Chapter 3

The days had passed like a blur, the grounds south of Driftveil City bustling as a multitude of various vendors, stall operators, entertainment companies and officials from the Pokemon League rushing about as they tried to get the last minute accommodations situated before the start of the tournament in the coming days. With only four days left before the public was allowed to wander the grounds, every detail needed to be perfect. While the main event was no doubt the tournament that involved battling, there were two other events that were going to take place after the Pokemon World Tournament, the Pokemon Showcase World Finale and Pokemon Contest World Festival.

The two events would follow the Pokémon World Tournament, which served two very important purposes. One was its main purpose, to allow the best of the best to compete for the respective titles of World Diva and World Coordinator. The second was to allow the tournament staff to ensure that everyone who participated, watched and enjoyed the intense battling of the tournament before would have a chance to relax and enjoy the more spectacular and showy side of Pokemon as opposed to the intense battling of the days prior.

Unlike the World Finale and World Festival, which only had the best of the best who had qualified through their respective regions by making Master Class or entering the Grand Festival, the World Tournament was open for trainers who made it to their respective leagues or had a sponsor along with a Professor's recommendation. With the number of battlers nearly tripling the number of performers and coordinators, it was almost necessary for the first few days to help direct the flow of trainers before the tournament could begin, hence the scrambling of the event staff and director recommendations for trainers to register early.

While it was a requirement for Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, special facility trainers and Champions to register before the tournament began due to the possibility of clogging the grounds with their fans, other trainers had until the day of the tournament if they were qualified to enter, though it was discouraged due to possible complications of the seeding and bracketing. But for those high profile trainers, they could all be seen wandering the bustling grounds, filtering in and out of shops and were energetically up and about, chatting with their fellow Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, Frontier Brains and Champions as they caught up with one another.

"Oh my gosh, Erika! How are you!" The ever cheerful voice of Gardenia shouted as she raced to hug the kimono-clad young lady, Erika offering her a light laugh as she returned the greeting.

"I see that you're energetic as ever, Gardenia. I'm doing fine, thank you for asking." Erika replied as Gardenia grinned, the two falling into a bit of light conversation as they caught up with the other.

"Brock, Roark, Byron; it's good to see you two again. Any news about new fossil Pokemon?" The curious voice of Grant asked as he met up with the rock and steel Gym Leaders, the four quickly falling into a round of gossip as they laughed and pointed towards the form of Steven Stone.

"Winona! It's really great to see you!" The bright voice of Skyla chirped as the ever graceful smile of Winona crossed her face, moving the hold the hands of her fellow flying type specialist as they chatted about their new companions.

"You could go and try talking with them. I hear they're still single." Morty quipped with a mirthful tone, Falkner feeling his cheeks heat as he scoffed and stomped away.

"He seriously needs a chill pill, he's always so uptight." Brawly added as Chuck chuckled beside him, shaking his head as he slung his arm around the younger man's shoulders.

"It'll take more then that, Brawly. Trust me, don't find a woman like my wife just anywhere you know." Chuck threw in as Brawly laughed wryly, Bruno and Marshall deciding to throw in their two cents as the poor Hoenn Gym Leader became the subject of teasing.

"Liza, Tate; I see that the two of you are shining as brightly as ever." Olympia said with a gentle smile on her face, the twins grinning as they eagerly relayed the fruits of their training to the older woman.

"Clair, Lance; why you two just keep growing up don't you! Have you two been eating enough? Haa... Knowing my brother and sister, they most likely haven't been feeding you two enough, you poor things!." Drasna lamented as she hugged her niece and nephew, the two feeling their cheeks darken when the woman doted on them.

"A-Aunt Drasna, please! We're both adults now!" Clair chided her in a respectful but embarrassed manner, Lance laughing wryly as he knew how much of a worrywart their aunt was.

"Howdy Miss Bertha, I hope the flight wasn't too tough on ya." Clay asked as he greeted the Elite Four member, getting a chuckle from the woman as she shook her head.

"Not at all, Clay. Old as I am, a little bit of flying isn't going to pull down this old girl." She said as the Gym Leader shared in her laughter, the two heading towards the hotel as he offered to carry her bags.

Seeing their region's respective Gym Leaders and Elite Four members getting along, the Champions had smiles on their faces as they watched the grounds. Lance of Kanto was preoccupied with keeping Drasna from sharing the multitude of embarrassing stories that she had on Clair and himself. Lyra and Ethan, considered the 'Twin Champions' of Johto due to the back and forth battles for the title they shared with the other, were trying to find their way to their hotel, arguing over the directions their Pokegear were giving them.

Steven of Hoenn was dragged into the conversation of Brock, Grant, Roark and Byron as they grilled him for any new discoveries in the field of fossil and rock Pokemon. Cynthia of Sinnoh and Diantha of Kalos had left the Pokémon World Tournament grounds to find an ice cream shop, joined by Whitney, Flannery, Candice, Lucy, Dahlia, Phoebe, Caitlin, Shauntal, Korrina and Valerie. Hilbert of Unova was conversing with Cheren and Bianca, a grin on his face as he caught up with his old friends.

"Ash, hurry up! We're going on ahead to register!" The voice of May called out towards the young man staring with shining eyes at the various familiar and famous faces of the Pokémon World Tournament grounds, Ash shouting back at her in the affirmative as he ran to catch up.

"Sorry May, but you have to admit that it's pretty awesome! I'm seeing so many Gym Leaders again that I can't help but say hi! Isn't that right, buddy?" Ash added as two sighs and a giggle returned to him and Pikachu, Dawn and May shaking their heads while Serena smiled at the pair.

"Well we need to hurry! I wanna check out the contest hall! I hear that Lisia and Wallace are going to participate in the World Festival!" Dawn gushed in an eager tone, May sharing her sentiments as Serena grew a anxious to reach registration for her own Pokemon Showcase competition.

"I heard that Diantha might be considering entering the Showcase, just imagining it makes me nervous!" Serena groaned as the memory of the beautiful Champion still stuck to her mind, her companions laughing wryly as they quickened their pace.

Quickly the four teens and Pokemon rushed to the booths, greeting the familiar faces that they passed and spotted. Making it without issue, spotting the rather large line of the World Tournament's registration booth, they offered Ash and Pikachu a wry smile as they moved to their own respective lines. As he stood in his line with his partner, a number of voices drew Ash's attention before his eyes widened upon spotting his childhood rival, Gary, along with a taller doppelgänger and a vaguely familiar brunette.

"Gary! Over here!" The raven haired teen called out, Pikachu waving his arms as the researcher blinked in surprise.

"Ashy Boy and Pikachu! It's been a while, how are you two!" Gary greeted the pair with a smile on his face, the two sharing a handshake as they caught up.

"Course! You think I'd miss this? The best of the best will be here! The fact my cousin and his childhood friend are even entering means something big is gonna happen!" Gary reported as he thumbed to the lookalike behind him, getting a raised brow from him before he shook his head.

"Still a kid no matter what, Gary. Don't know how auntie and uncle deal with you." Blue muttered in a tired tone, Gary feeling his brow twitch as glared at the taller man.

"Come'on Blue, we're here for one reason. Once we find him, I clock him, you bag him and we run." Leaf muttered in a dangerous tone, Blue shivering slightly as he uttered a silent prayer to his rival before a flash of realization crossed his face.

"Oh right, name's Blue, this guy's older cousin by four years. This here is Leaf, an old friend of mine." Blue said as he held out a hand towards Ash, the young man returning the handshake as Leaf beamed a smile at him that vastly contrasted her darker statement from earlier.

"So are you three here for the tournament?" Ash asked as he tried to guage his possible rivals, Pikachu sharing that sentiment as Blue and Leaf stared at them like they had seen the sight before.

"Mhmm, I'm no trainer anymore but I got more then enough credentials to enter! My Pokemon haven't been doing nothing these past few years you know!" Gary answered with a cocky grin on his face, Ash returning it as a familiar flame sparked between them.

"Yeah, lets let these kids enjoy their little rivalry." Blue sighed as Gary and Ash shot him a glare, Ash soon blinking as he tried to recall the man.

"Say, Blue, you're the Gym Leader of Viridian City, right?" The raven haired youth asked as Blue nodded in confirmation, a bit confused at the expression on the young man's face.

"Why weren't you the one I battled when I challenged the gym?" Ash asked in a curious tone, Blue mulling over the thought as Gary snapped his fingers in realization.

"That's right! The year we were heading out on our journey, weren't you trying to challenge Lance or something?" Gary asked as Ash's eyes widened when the realization he was talking with a Champion ranked trainer hit him, Blue snorting as he shook his head in the negative.

"Nah, there was an issue in Johto Leaf and I had to take care of on behalf of Gramps. There was a replacement from the league that specialized in ground types that covered me for the couple of months I left, so they're the one you two probably battled." He explained as the two nodded their heads, the three falling into light conversation as Leaf fiddled with her PokeNav in an anxious manner.

(Time Skip - Half an Hour Later)

"So, any issues while you guys were registering?" Ash asked as May, Dawn and Serena joined Pikachu and himself at a small cafe, getting shakes of the heads as they lightly and excitedly chatted about the coming events.

"I just can't wait to watch you battle Ash! I heard something super exciting while Dawn and I were in line!" May said in an excited tone, drawing the attention of everyone as she laughed before pointing towards the facility.

"There's a rumor floating around of a "phantom trainer" who's going to be attending the World Tournament!" Dawn added as the energy the four were feeling began to rise in anticipation, the young teens falling into theories of who it could be.

"Oh yeah, where's Max, May? And have you heard from Bonnie or Clemont, Serena?" Ash asked with a curious tone, having not heard from the three in a little over a year.

"Oh, Max is going to be here when my mom and dad get here! He was really bummed out he didn't get a official qualification like we did, but he's taking part in the tournament with Professor Birch and our dad as a sponsor." May explained as Ash grinned at the thought of finally battling the youth, Pikachu sharing his sentiments as he cried out in delight.

"I think Bonnie is coming here with Clemont, though they may be a day or two away since she was coming back from Ambrette Town. I heard that she's become quite the trainer, Clemont and Professor Sycamore are sponsoring her entry into the tournament!" Serena reported as Ash blinked a bit dumbly at the revelation, though that was met with excitement once more as the memory of the energetic blonde returned.

Seeing him so full of energy and excitement drew slight laughs from the three young ladies, finding it a bit infectious as they joined in. Chatting about the possible encounters they could face, the four were soon talking strategies only for May and Dawn to pause and glance at each other. A bit of lightning dancing between them, their lips twitched before a fit of giggles broke out between the two. Watching with mirthful eyes, Ash, Pikachu and Serena humored and egged on the two, to their chagrin, an amiable and enjoyable mood taking hold.

(Scene Change - Driftveil City: Vanilluxe Grand Hotel)

"Sheesh, the first we talk in almost fifteen years and you blackmail me? You haven't changed a bit, Scarlet." A silver haired woman muttered in a tired tone, the raven haired beauty sitting across from her giggling as she sipped on her tea.

"Well you did say that you'd 'owe me one' if I helped you get the flame back before your father found out. Don't make promises that you can't keep, Nicole. But honestly, thank you for helping me, I really appreciate it." Scarlet said with a teasing tone before it turned a tad somber, drawing a surprised look from her old friend before a smile marred her own face.

"Don't worry about it, Scarlet. It's what friends are for, remember? Though, if you could tell me, why enter the tournament? We retired a long time ago, haha." The silver haired woman asked as the crimson eyed woman before her grinned in response, staring out the window of her hotel suite as a loving smile crossed her face.

"There's someone in the tournament I have to battle, no matter what." She whispered as Nicole blinked as she tried to figure out who it was, Scarlet merely giggling as she offered more tea to her long time friend.

"Hmm... if it's not me and your husband is still overseas, then I have no idea..." Nicole mulled in a confused tone, Scarlet happily sipping on her tea as a mischievous glint shone in her eyes as she stared over the city.

"_Now. Let's see just how much stronger you've gotten, Red. Ufufu, I just cant wait my little Charmander!_"

(Scene Change - Driftveil City: Vanillite Ice Cream Shop)

"Haa, is this heaven?" Whitney asked no one in particular as she swallowed another mouthful of vanilla ice cream, her companions sharing her sentiments as they sampled the many bowls of the frozen dairy treats the lined their table.

Cynthia, Diantha, Whitney, Flannery, Candice, Lucy, Dahlia, Phoebe, Caitlin, Shauntal, Korrina and Valerie were sitting at a large table happily tasting the many different flavors that the shop had to offer. With so many famous, not to mention beautiful, faces sitting at one place, it wasn't a surprise that a few of the more braver or foolish ventured to join them in their little slice of paradise. But cold eyes and sharp words were all that they were met with as many left with slumped shoulders and broken spirits. This scene repeated as the fourteenth young man tried to sneak in to sit with the group of ladies, being met with rejection once more. Soon enough, with the crowd parted and exited when a particularly cutting quip from Caitlin and Lucy left the parlor empty with the exception of the twelve ladies.

"Couldn't you two have put that a tad more politely?" Valerie asked in a rhetorical manner, getting sickly sweet smiles from the pair as the others giggled and laughed in turn.

"Sometimes it really doesn't pay to be famous. Though I can only imagine how it must feel being Cynthia or Diantha." Phoebe mulled as all eyes fell on the two, getting two raised brows at their attention.

"Oh? And what do you mean by that?"

"I'm also curious about that statement."

Cynthia and Diantha asked in curiosity as the ten other ladies just laughed at the pair, the two growing more confused as they poured slightly at the unfair treatment they were being faced with. Managing to catch her breath, Dahlia grinned as she pointed between the pair, the two blinking as they looked between each other.

"It's because your both single, young, Champions and hot! Cynthia is practically the idol that all aspiring female trainers look up to while Diantha is a movie star that almost everyone knows about! You two are in a totally different league then us regular girls!" She stated as the others nodded sagely at her words, the pouts on the faces of the two deepening at their assessment.

"Ah, Come'on ladies, we're practically on vacation here. Titles, status, all that junk we can get back to when we go back home. So let's just enjoy things for what they are now!" Flannery threw in as Korrina, Candice and Shauntal gave a cheer of agreement, the others reluctantly sighing before smiling as they felt the tension and expectations on them fade for the time being, being able to simply enjoy being regular trainers once more.

That peaceful atmosphere was soon broken when the door to the shop that had remained closed for the past ten minutes finally opened once more. Sighing, they turned and saw a capped young man heading towards them, growing a bit irritated that they would have to spend the energy to tell him off when he spoke to them. Taking a breath to ready themselves, they were about to reject his advances and rebuttal his comments when he simply walked past them without sparing a glance.

The act causing them blink, they turned and followed him as he headed to the counter. The storekeeper offering him a bright smile, they conversed out of earshot as he pointed to a tub, the employee nodding her head as she quickly scooped a large spoonful of 'Cookies and Cream' flavored ice cream, placing it into a colorful and cute cup before handing it to the man. Getting a soft smile that caused her face to explode in red, he offered her an equally soft 'thank you' while handing her a few Pokedollars.

Smiling brightly, she was about to hand him his change when he shook his head, pointing to the 'Tips' jar as she blinked before smiling softer and offering him a few words of gratitude. Taking a packaged spoon and napkin, he turned to leave the establishment only to pause when he passed by the table occupied by the women who had watched the entire exchange. Turning his head slightly, they froze and felt their breaths hitch when a heavy pressure found itself on their souls as his crimson eyes settled on them.

The feeling they were experiencing brought them back to their youths as fledgling trainers, the long forgotten sensation of an overwhelming opponent the likes of which they couldn't possibly overcome. The feeling was only felt more intensely by Diantha and Cynthia, the two having reigned as Champions for far longer then their predecessors. They watched silently as he scanned each of them, his crimson eyes seeming as though they weren't looking at them but through them, like he was assessing whether or not they were worth his attention. As he shifted to Cynthia and Diantha, his gaze lingered a tad longer before he turned to continue out of the ice cream shop. As soon as he turned, the heavy pressure that they felt vanished, the mysterious youth along with it.

The door closing with a soft jingle, the ladies let the breaths that they were holding loose, a few beads of sweat marring their faces at the rather tense and unnerving exchange they were a part of. Shakily, Whitney turned to her companions with slightly teary eyes as the man's gaze seemed to affect her much more then the others, barring Flannery as the the Hoenn Gym Leader shared the pink haired young lady's sentiments to a lesser extent.

"Who was that..?" Caitlin asked no one in particular, wiping away the beads of sweat on her face while she tried to ease her frazzled nerves.

"I don't know, but I kinda wanna find out." Candice said in a dreamy manner, a tinge of pink on her cheeks as the others looked at her with wide eyes.

"You're telling he's your type?" Whitney asked in an incredulous tone, Candice's cheeks darkening as she looked away.

"He did have a mysterious and cool aura to him now that I think about it." Shauntal added as her own cheeks gained a pink hue, Phoebe sharing it as the ghost experts quickly gushed with Candice about the man.

"Did you feel it, Cynthia?" Diantha whispered to her fellow Champion in a breathless tone, the blonde nodding her head as the two felt a fire light in their hearts that they had long forgotten.

"I did... And I'm not giving it up." She replied with a sharp tone, her fellow Champion having a challenging glint shine in her eyes as they continued with their conversation.

With Red, the young man didn't mean to be so rude to the ladies in the ice cream shop; but hearing that they were rather rude to the people gathered outside gave them an unfavorable light to the man. But when he saw them in person, he could see that they weren't rude per say, more frustrated then anything despite their scalding stares. Behind those stares, however, he could see their prowess as trainers. All of them had a powerful air to them, more so the two women who weren't as engaged in the groups conversation and more into their ice cream.

"Looks like things will be fun." Red whispered softly with a gentle smile crossing his face, heading back to the forest on the outskirts of Driftvieil City.

Ten minutes quickly passed as Red saw the familiar scene of his campsite, a simple setup with a small fire pit, a log serving as a chair and sleeping bag denoting that the small clearing was occupied. Scanning the grounds, he saw nothing out of the ordinary as he moved to sit down and enjoy his ice cream. Taking a spoonful of the frozen dairy treat, he had a soft smile grace his face as the delightful sweet and savory dessert melted on his tongue. Growing comfortable, Red debated releasing his Pokemon when a sudden small cry sounded from the woods.

Snapping his head towards the direction of the cry, he narrowed his eyes before placing his dessert on the log. Moving quickly to the last known direction of the sound, he sharpened his senses, honed on the hellish summit of Mt. Silver. Slowly slightly, he paused when a number of shuffling sounds caught his attention, the crimson eyed youth heading towards a particularly dead section of forest as the sight of a number of bug Pokemon caught his eyes.

Huddled around something most likely hiding in a tree an Ariados and Scolipede were leading a small group of their pre-evolved forms, chittering in a mischievous and vile manner as they assaulted the tree with a number of blows. When they did, a pained and frightened cry left the hollow tree as the bug Pokemon seemed to revel in the sound. The sight drawing a look of anger on the normally gentle and passive face of the young man, Red moved into towards the group as they turned to look at him.

Upon seeing him, the bug Pokemon theses before relaxing when they saw him standing alone before them. Growing a bit curious, they were silent as they observed him, Red merely pointing to the tree as they alternated to look between the two points of interest. A sudden look of realization passing through the leaders of the group, they turned to glare at the human before it as Red returned it without hesitation. With the same lack of hesitation he was showing them, they fired off a warning shot of Sludge Bomb as the trainer merely looked at them with unconcealed contempt.

Wordlessly, he released his team as an ear-splitting series of roars forced the minds of the bug types to stall. Fear instantly filling their bodies, they tried to escape only for their bodies to be bound to their places with an overwhelming amount of psychic power. Their eyes filled with a barely restrained amount of rage, Espeon and Mewtwo were forcibly holding themselves back from shattering the minds and bodies of the trash that dared strike their beloved trainer.

The sentiment was shared by their fellow teammates, Charizard having a visible shroud of heat emanating from his body while Pikachu was electrifying the very ground with the amount of hateful electricity he was unconsciously letting loose. Venusaur has already gathered a large amount of solar energy and had fixed it upon the frozen bug types, Blastoise and Genesect training their cannons on their still forms as a visible hum of power sounded from within them. Snorlax had a hateful expression on his normally content face, anger radiating off his body Iike a haze. Tyranitar and Hydreigon were barring their teeth as a pair of hateful snarls left their mouth, their bodies glowing as they readied energy for the impending destruction of the trash before their eyes.

Without a word, Red walked towards the tree where soft whimpering could be heard emanating from. The bodies of Ariados and Scolipede preventing him from passing, his psychic types remedied the issue when they slammed their bodies to the side of the tree, pained cries leaving them as they struggled to resist the otherworldly force being applied to their bodies. With them out of the way, Red felt his anger slowly grow when he saw the telltale signs of a Toxic and Poison Sting assault on the occupant of the hollowed out tree. When he finally was able to peek inside of the tree, he blinked and activated his Pokédex as he carefully moved to extract the trembling Pokemon within.

It was a small white Pokémon with purple on its bottom half while its upper half was white. It has white arms and long, notched ears, and a blue tail. It had a rounded red "crown" on its head, its eyes that were snapped closed in fright opening in horror to reveal the deep blue of their color. As if it were a lifeline, the tiny Pokemon was holding onto a slightly wilting and discolored white, borderline gray flower, seemingly shielding it from any further damage, the flower having six petals as opposed to the usual five that the photo in Red's Pokedex displayed. Though, the flower the tiny Pokemon was holding seemed completely foreign to the young man. Of the six petals of the flower there were three that were large and triangular and three that were smaller and seemed like regular petals. The stem was equally sickly gray and leafless, and the stigma pale and conical.

"Flabébé, are you ok?" Red asked in a soft and worried tone, the trembling Pokemon shakily raising its head to glance up at the crimson eyed man.

At the sight of his eyes, their color instantly set of alarm bells as the small Pokemon shrieked in fear. Snapping its eyes shut, it gathered what little energy it had left before a sparkly pink mist started to shroud it. A desperate cry leaving its mouth, the small fairy type let loose an extremely underpowered Fairy Wind that rustled the hair of the crimson eyed man. Red blinking in confusion at what had just transpired, though he soon had a small smile cross his face as he gently cupped the trembling Pokemon in his hands.

"Don't worry, you're safe now." He told the shaking fairy in an equally gentle tone, Flabébé hesitantly looking back at the man as he headed back towards his team.

The sight of such titans slowly growing closer and larger, the tiny Pokemon felt its heart nearly stop when it took in their ferocious expressions. Gulping as it found no alternative but to trust that the human handling it would pull through on his flowery words, Flabébé remained silent and as still as possible as they stopped in front of the still snarling titans. The sight of their trainer returning unharmed quelling a small portion of their anger, Red shook his head as they reluctantly released the trash that disrespected him. The formerly frozen Pokemon being out of the firing line, they scampered away to safety as Red returned to his camp with his team in tow.

Arriving shortly, Red set down the still frozen Flabébé onto the log that functioned as his chair, moving aside his now melted ice cream, while motioning for his team to give the petrified Pokemon a bit more space. Seeing him able to control such titans and watching them follow his commands with such respect, the tiny Pokemon looked up at the man before it with curious but cautious eyes as he smirked slightly at the sight.

"Having survived in a foreign region all by yourself, you're a strong one, aren't you?" Red asked as the fairy seemed to flush a bit at the statement, though it soon shook its head as it hugged the wilting flower it was holding tighter.

"I see. It does say that you chose a flower to live In and care for the day you're born, I can only imagine how it must feel to see the flower you choose in such poor condition." He continued in a soft tone, Flabébé nodding its head with tears in its eyes, Red smiling softly at the tiny Pokémon's sense of responsibility and pride.

"Venusaur, could you help out Flabébé?" He turned to ask the grass titan beside him, a rumble of confidence leaving the behemoth's mouth as he sauntered over.

"Don't worry, if anyone can help, it's my good friend Venusaur." He explained to the shaken Pokemon when it saw the titan approach, turning to look at Red before softly shaking its head as it choose to trust his words once more.

As Venusaur stopped before the trembling Pokemon, Flabébé hesitantly held out its flower towards the grass behemoth. The sight of it showing such care and concern for the flower being offered towards it brought a warmth and respect for the tiny fairy, Venusaur gently taking the flower while gently reassuring Flabébé. Feeling the life of the flower beat so dimly was a stark contrast to the overwhelming desire to live that the wilted plant exuded, Venusaur having a smile grace his features as he called upon the life of nature that rested within his body. A gentle green glow shrouding his body, the petals of his flower started to gather the energy of the sun as he poured the generated energy into the flower.

Watching with wide and shining eyes, Flabébé was staring in awe at the seemingly impossible act that Venusaur was performing, breathing life back into the wilting flower it had so desperately tried to keep alive for the weeks it was brought to this foreign land. The behemoth was rejuvenating and restoring the life of the flower as easily as it drew breath, Flabébé slowly likening the grass type as a literal incarnation of nature as the once sickly gray flower shone with a pure radiance that would make the whitest of marble pale in comparison. The act of restoring the flower done, Venusaur gently handed the flower back like the gentleman he was, Flabébé breathlessly taking it back as a rush of energy surged trough its tiny body.

A soft gasp leaving its mouth, it was replaced with a cheerful and energetic cry as the tiny Pokemon flew and danced around with a seemingly infinite amount of energy. The sight drawing a smile from everyone, Venusaur was patted on his body by Charizard, Pikachu, Snorlax and Blastoise; the behemoth snorting as Flabébé stopped in front of his face. A hue of pink coloring its face, the fairy bowed its head towards him in gratitude as Venusaur rumbled a soft sound of acceptance. Turning to Red, it moved to repeat the action as Red smiled in a small but radiant manner, drawing a deeper flush as it returned the smile.

"You know, would you like to come with us? I can't imagine it's fun or safe being alone somewhere you aren't familiar with. If not, we'll take you somewhere you can be safe, I heard that there's a meadow where flowers bloom year round we can take you to." Red asked as the tiny Pokemon snapped to stare at him with wide eyes, looking around before hesitantly pointing towards itself.

"Yeah, you. I think we could all benefit from having someone as strong as you on our team." Red said as he gestured to his teammates, getting cries of agreement as Venusaur nodded his head with a toothy grin on his face.

Growing pink with both embarrassment and humility, the fairy quickly ducked its head before it rose it to lock gazes with Red. A slovenly and teary smile crossing its face, Flabébé nodded its head as the crimson eyed man smiled gently at its expression. Taking an empty Pokeball, he held it out towards the tiny Pokemon as it softly tapped on the center button. A flash of light and red energy soon enveloped the fairy type before shaking briefly, a soft click sounding as the capture was finished without fail. Quickly releasing his new teammate, he ran through introductions as Flabébé's new family welcomed her with open arms.

(Time Skip - Four Days Later)

As the message played over the numerous loudspeakers littered across the grounds, the excitement that was already present over the area only grew as people excitedly moved to the locations of their loved ones and friends. The bustle of vendors offering their wares, children laughing and playing and Pokemon crying and cheering; the Pokémon World Tournament was in full swing as trainers moved to their assigned stadiums.

Standing in the lobby of 'Stadium A', Red was standing in line for the counter as he looked at the display showing the images of the trainers of his block. Inwardly, he had a wry smile as Professor Oak failed to upload or attach a photo to the 'Writ of Challenge' he had given to the crimson eyed man. As he was called up to the counter, he handed the rolled piece of paper to the staff member tending to it as they unrolled and scanned its contents. Slowly, their eyes widened as they saw the unmistakable and unique seal the Professor of Kanto granted to only the most important of documents.

Snapping her head to stare at the man before her, she swallowed a bit when she realized that the Professor, unlike those of the other regions, hadn't sponsored anyone but this one trainer. Quickly adding their name to the seeding bracket, Red was placed rather low despite the writ and recommendation, though he found no problem with it. Once finished, she beamed a slightly anxious smile at him that he returned with a soft one of his one, causing the poor staff member to flush a storm at the contrast between his rather intimidating appearance and gentle expression. Despite not having a photo to use, Red was given a placeholder image, which was simply his name on a plain background.

Excusing himself after thanking the staff member, he took a seat and activated his Pokédex. Scanning the faces that passed on the display, he was glad that he was able to catch a bit of insight into their history and abilities. While most of them were accomplished trainers, there were a few that had a bit more unique qualities to them, namely things unrelated to Pokemon such as family ties and hobbies. As he continued to read on the trivia regarding his fellow trainers, he soon turned to the multi-display screen as the first set of battles finally began.

(Scene Change - Pokémon World Tournament: Stadium H)

"Ash is battling guys, hurry up!" The excited voice of Max called out as he rushed to get a front row seat, thanking the fact it wasn't a high profile match for his luck in finding one.

"Easy Max, we've got time! No need to rush when they haven't even entered the field yet!" May countered as Dawn, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie and herself followed behind him, the brunette flushing a bit at the snickers and giggled being sent the young trainer's way.

"Ah, Dawn! Are you here for Ash's battle?" A voice called out to the bluenette, her eyes widening as a smile crossed her face at the voice.

"Iris! It's so good to see you again!" The blue haired girl gushed as they shared a hug, the scene drawing a few curious stares from the others as they turned to face them.

"Ah! Guys, this is Iris! She travelled with Ash along with a guy named Cilan when he was in Unova! Speaking of that, where is Cilan?" Dawn explained as they group smiled at her, Iris returning it as she pointed towards a large looking hotel in the city.

"He's helping out at that hotel, something about owing them a thing or two. He'll be here for Ash's next battle!" Iris reported as Dawn nodded, motioning for her to sit as they shared introductions.

Soon, the group and the crowd grew quiet when the gates on the opposite sides of the stadium ground opened. Cheers soon followed when the forms of two trainers could be seen making their way to their respective spots, Ash's friends cheering loudly as he bashfully waved at them along with Pikachu. He soon flushed deeper when The ever cheerful and loving voice of his mother and Gary's teasing tone called out to him, the capped youth soon standing across from his opponent as the referee nodded in confirmation.

"Good luck Ash, may the better trainer win!" Dazon said with a smile on his face, Ash returning it as he fixed his cap.

"You too, Dazon! Let's have a great match!" Ash returned as the crowd cheered at their sportsmanship, the referee sharing it as he smiled at the pair.

"This will be a three on three battle, between Ash of Pallet Town and Dazon of Mauville City, substitutions are allowed and the match will be concluded when all of one's Pokemon are unable to battle. The pairing system has declared that the red trainer release their Pokemon first, but with that the red trainer may choose the battlefield for this match." He stated as Dazon nodded his head, pulling out a Pokeball before mulling over the choice of terrain.

["And here it is folks! While releasing their Pokemon first is usually a disadvantage for any trainer, being able to choose where they battle is usually enough to make up for the loss of surprise! Let's see what Dazon has to say for the battlefield!"]

"This is new, you get to choose the field you battle on?" May asked with a surprised tone, voicing Serena and Dawn's question to the others.

"Yes and no, May. Only for the preliminary rounds will they allow for a choice before it turns random for the intermediate and final rounds. It's to allow the League Officals to guage how trainers use it to their advantage when they're forced to select a Pokemon first. It's more of a trail thing then anything, really." Iris explained as the others nodded, though Max and Bonnie were shaking with excitement at the oncoming battle.

"Say, what's special about Ash's opponent?" The young blonde asked as Max grinned, pulling out a thick notebook as he flipped through its pages.

"Dazon, it says here that he's an Elite Four challenger that was knocked out by the second Elite Four member, Phoebe, during his first run! Since then he's been training for a rematch, a lot of people saying that he'll be a top contender for champion if he keeps on training!" Max concluded as the others laughed a bit wryly at his enthusiasm, turning back to the field when he nodded in confirmation.

"A rock field!" Dazon called out as the referee nodded, imputing a few keys into the device on his wrist as the plain field before them shifted to a rock filled one.

"Now, Rhydon, let's go!" Dazon said as he released the rock type, Rhydon letting a heavy roar resound as Ash went for his own Pokeball.

"Torterra, I choose you!" The capped young man shouted as Torterra let out a roar of its own, the two Pokemon staring each other down.

["Dazon has chosen Rhydon while ash chooses Torterra! Let's see how these trainer fare now folks!"]

"Quick, Rhydon use Flamethrower!" Dazon ordered as Rhydon let loose a stream of flames, Ash's eyes widening as he called out to Torterra.

"Use Stone Edge to block it!" He shouted as Torterra let out a cry of confirmation, it's eyes glowing blue as it build up energy.

Raising its right leg, the Continent Pokemon brought it down as a slight tremor rocked the area. Soon a spire of stone surged from the ground in front of the grass-ground type, Rhydon's Flamethrower clashing against the newly formed rock formation as Dazon ordered it to cease the stream and get close to use Hammer Arm. Ash seeing that ordered Torterra to counter with Wood Hammer. Rhydon's arm glowing white it stopped short of Torterra, who's tree was glowing green, as the two collided with one another. A heavy impact resounding with a cloud of dust covering their forms, the audience waited with baited breath as it settled, seeing Rhydon on its back, unconscious.

"Rhydon is unable to continue, Torterra is the winner." The referee called as Dazon recalled his Pokemon, thanking it as he readied another Pokeball.

["Amazing folks! In a titanic clash, Torterra managed to take out Rhydon with a single attack! What else does Ash have in store for us? Can Dazon recover from this setback?"]

"Whoa, Ash's Torterra has gotten a lot stronger since I've seen it!" Dawn commented as the grass-ground type roared in victory, the others choosing to believe her words as they stared at the Pokemon.

"Well Rhydon is part rock and part ground type, that Wood Hammer was super effective against both of its typings. Combine that with Torterra's power and you got yourself a clean KO!" Bonnie explained as Dawn, Serena and May smiled at the explanation though Max looked a bit miffed at having the explaination stolen, Clemont and Iris staring at Torterra with a slight grimace on their faces.

"Here it comes..." Iris muttered as she drew their attention, following her gaze as Torterra soon let out a cry as the recoil from its attack finally struck it.

"Wood Hammer is a strong attack, but it's just as damaging to the user as it is to the opponent. If it was strong enough to knock out Rhydon, it's gotta be hurting Torterra just as much." Clemont whispered with a wince, the others mimicking the act as green static danced on its body.

"You're pretty good Ash! That Torterra of yours is tough!" Dazon called out with a grin on his face, Ash returning it as he turned to his friend.

"Torterra, can you still battle?" Ash asked in a concerned manner, Torterra shaking its head before letting a cry of confirmation out.

"Let's go, Mamoswine!" Dazon shouted as he released his next battler, a powerful cry leaving the mouth of the ice-ground type as Ash and his supporters winced.

"Torterra, Energy Ball!" Ash ordered as Torterra began gathering energy in its mouth, Dazon smirking as he saw the speed of the Pokemon.

"Mamoswine, Ice Shard and make it hurt!" He ordered as Mamoswine roared in turn, quickly building up energy between its tusks.

Before Torterra could build up the required energy for its own attack, Mamoswine was already unleashing a number of pale blue shards of ice. The shards flying fast, they struck the motionless Pokemon in the face as it lost focus and in turn the built up energy in its mouth. Unrelenting was Mamoswine as Torterra was pelted by the ice shards, soon taking no more as it collapsed. Recalling his friend, Ash thanked it before mulling over his next choice.

["And Torterra is down after a powerful Ice Shard attack, looks like it wasn't able to gather enough energy for its Energy Ball! The scores two to two now folks, it could be either of these trainers who moves on!]

"Poor Torterra, wonder why Ash didn't switch it out." Dawn said in a saddened tone, a few nods of agreement at the type disadvantage it had against Mamoswine.

"I think Ash was hoping that Torterra could take advantage of Mamoswine's grass weakness before it went down. It would've payed off if Torterra wasn't as injuried from using Wood Hammer, if I could hazard a guess." Clemont added as the others found it a reasonable answer, though it proved to be a risk that went unrewarded.

"Palpitoad, I choose you!" Ash shouted as he released his next battler, the eager cry of the Vibration sounding as it faced Mamoswine.

"Palpitoad, quick use Hydro Pump!" Ash ordered as Palpitoad took a moment to breathe before unleashing a heavy torrent of water, Mamoswine grunting as the attack connected.

"Mamoswine, stop that Hydro Pump with Ice Beam!" Dazon shouted as his Pokemon grunted in turn, a sphere of blue forming between its tusks before firing a frigid beam of energy.

The beam of ice collided with and clashed against the jet of water, a stalemate forming between the two Pokemon before Dazon decided to break it. Mamoswine following the call to use Bulldoze as it lifted a leg to set off a miniature quake. The shockwave causing Palpitoad to flinch and struggle to regain its footing, it was enough for Mamoswine to get in close for an Ice Fang, it's tusks being shrouded in a thick layer of ice. Bringing its head up, it was about to swing downwards when Ash reacted.

"Scald!" Ash shouted as Palpitoad managed to right itself, working quickly to expel a boiling steam of water towards the ice encased tusks.

The Scald working as Ash had hoped, Mamoswine cried in pain as the ice covering its tusks melted, the behemoth being forced to backpedal as the boiling hot water continued to burn and drench it. Seeing his chance, Palpitoad followed up with a Hydro Pump at Ash's command, the attack landing without obstacle as Mamoswine hit the ground, carried by the powerful torrent of water. Mamoswine fainting, Dazon recalled it as he winced at the turn of events. Sighing, he mustered up a smile as he moved to secure his final battler.

["And Mamoswine is down after a fierce exchange with Palpitoad! Dazon is on his last Pokemon, can he turn this around!"]

"Wow! Palpitoad seems to be in tip top shape!" Iris said with a smile on her face, the others sharing it as they watched Ash praise his friend.

"Haha, well this has been fun, Ash! But I can't go down without a fight! You're my last hope, let's go Camerupt!" Dazon said as he released his final battler, a huff of confidence leaving the Eruption Pokemon as it stared down Palpitoad.

"Sunny Day!" Dazon ordered as Camerupt cried out in confirmation, it's hump glowing before an artificial sun was fired from them.

The orb sailing into the sky, it soon intensified the ambient sunlight as many winced and shielded their eyes from the intense glare. Smiling at the sight, Dazon was about to order his Camerupt to use Solar Beam when Ash beat him to it with a command of his own.

"Supersonic!" Ash ordered as Palpitoad took a lungful of air before unleashing a horrid ultrasonic stream of sound at the fire-ground type, Camerupt soon blinking before thrashing around while Dazon tried to reign it back in.

"Let's finish this, Palpitoad! Use Hydro Pump, full power!" Ash shouted as Palpitoad closed the distance between itself and Camerupt, taking another lungful of air before unleashing a heavy torrent of water.

Though the sun's rays would have weakened the effects of water type moves, being so close to the Pokemon responsible for the weather effect lessened the weakening effect of its attack. The Hydro Pump connecting cleanly, it sent Camerupt to the boundaries of the field, impacting with an outcrop of rock before sliding down, unconscious.

["And there you have it folks! Camerupt is unable to continue! That means that the victor of this match is Ash from Pallet Town!"]

A sigh leaving his mouth, Dazon recalled his companion before flashing Ash a grin, the capped youth returning it after embracing Palpitoad. The field returning to a standard ground field, the two trainers left to their respective sides, one with a skip to his step and the other with slightly slumped shoulders. Arriving in the waiting room, Ash was met with his friends and family as they congratulated him for his first victory. Smiles and laughs sounding in the room, they soon quieted and turned to the display showcasing the other battles when a number of trainer shouted and pointed towards it. Curiosity peaking, they followed the trainer's and scanned the current matches for any anomalies, the group soon growing quiet and wide eyed when they saw a particular battle.

It had been only moments after Red had seen his name appear to head onto the battlefield, the crimson eyed young man drawing curious looks as he silently made his way to his side of the field. Watching him head towards his side were the wide eyed faces of the young ladies who had encountered him earlier in the ice cream shop. The past few days, Candice has been on a witch hunt of sorts trying to find her so called 'prince' with the assistance of a few of her friends, Whitney surprisingly joining as the mysterious allure of the man finally caught up with her. The search turned fruitless however as they failed to find a trace of him, the group heading to their seats in a sullen manner.

Their disappointment was shared, albeit not openly, by Cynthia and Diantha, the two growing a tad anxious that he wasn't here for the tournament after all. The thought nearly drove a stake into their hearts as the thought of not having a chance to battle with him scared them more then they would have liked to admit. But seeing him approach the field instantly alleviated the worries of not just the two of them, but of the ladies who had grown interested of him as well. The same wide eyed expressions could be seen on the faces of a select few, namely those associated with the Kanto Region and the 'Twin Champions' as they gapped at the sight before them. How long has it been since they saw the young man in front of them?

Surge had a wild grin on his face as his Raichu seemed unable to restrain itself from charging the field for a rematch with the rodent who humiliated it all those years ago. Misty, Erika and Sabrina had pink color their cheeks as they remembered those soulful and beautiful ruby colored eyes; the passion and gentleness of them having stolen their hearts when they first battled. Lance was shaking with a barely controlled grin on his face, the aching heart he had for a rematch thought to have been lost resurfacing as Clair and Drasna shot him a curious look. Lyra and Ethan were shouting about a 'phantom trainer' to the utter confusion of those around them. But there were two individuals in particular who looked like they wanted to do nothing more then run down to the field and strangle the man. Blue and Leaf were openly shaking with anger, relief and in Lear's case, love, as they watched him causally make his way down.

"Red you dick! I'm kicking your ass when I get my hands on you!"

"You're in for it, Red! Do you hear me, you're going to wish you never left wherever the hell you were the past ten years when I'm done with you!"

The sight of Leaf and Blue shouting at the display startling the others in the waiting room of Stadium E, the pair were given a wide berth as their fellow trainers inched away from them, the dark aura shrouding them killing any and all desire to ask about their situation. But looking closely, Blue and Leaf could be seen with shaky grins on their faces, eyes teary as they wiped the unshed tears away before they could fall. Turning towards each other, they simply stared before grinning and running towards Stadium A, intent on following through with Leaf's plan.

"You clock him and I bag him, right? Can I clock him too?"

"Please, be my guest!"

With those scary words spoken in such a sickly sweet tone, the pair sprinted towards Stadium A, their poorly hidden smiles spreading as a youthful energy they had thought they lost came rushing back. Soon they found themselves laughing in a nostalgic manner, a fond memory of a similar event with a much shorter duration of separation coming to the forefront of their minds.

With Red, the raven haired youth stood stoically on his side of the battling field. Glancing towards his opponent, he mentally sighed when he saw the unremarkable and basic feats that he had garnered throughout his carrer as a trainer. Though, the sigh slowly melted to annoyance when he saw the arrogance and hubris that was plastered onto his opponent's face. Already knowing what kind of trainer he was about to face, he merely readied himself for the jeers that would do doubt follow.

["Ladies and Gentlemen, let's get on with our next battle! We've got Red from Pallet Town and Clyde of Black City!"]

"Who the heck is Red?"

"We love you Clyde!"

"He's named after a color!"

"Show em what Black City is all about!"

"Don't lose to a nobody like that, Clyde!"

"Wow, the crowd seems kinda on that Clyde guy's side, more so then that Red guy." Dawn said with slight distaste in her tone, obviously not too fond of the jeers sent the trainer's way.

"Do you have anything on either of them, Max?" Serena asked the glasses wearing youth, Max flipping trough his book before nodding.

"I don't have anything on that Red guy, looks unremarkable from what I'm currently hearing though. But that Clyde guy is a real powerhouse, he's another top contender for Champion, it says here that he's one of the top battlers from Black City." Max reported as the others nodded in turn, the group growing a tad curious about the raven haired youth.

Hearing the various cheers and jeers from the crowd, Red felt a good portion of his enegy leave from simply hearing them. Those who knew who he was were grinning with wide smile on their faces as they awaited the inevitable outcome of the match, eagerly awaiting the faces of those who were jeering at him. With just as much trepidation, they leaned forward to see what kind of Pokemon and training he had accumulated over the past decade of his absence.

"This will be a three on three battle between Red of Pallet Town and Clyde of Black City, substitutions are allowed and the match will be decided once all of one's side's Pokemon are unable to continue. With Clyde of the green side being the first to release their Pokémon, please decide on a field!" The referee announced as Clyde grinned, dramatically posing before snapping his fingers.

"An ice and rock field, Ref!" He declared as the referee nodded, inputting a few keys into the device on his wrist before the field opened up and changed.

"Now, Weavile, get ready to win!" Clyde shouted as a small, bipedal Pokemon appeared in a flash of light, crying with confidence as it stared down the opposing trainer.

Wordlessly Red took a Pokeball and released his counter for the opposing Weavile as the crowd grew quiet. With a tiny cry, the diminutive form of Flabébé appeared as it stared around the stadium. Its eyes growing wide, it retreated back into Red's chest as the crowd roared with laughter, gushed with squeals and came to life with the absurd sight before them. Red already knowing that the reaction would be rather unwelcoming, he pushed the noise around him to the back of his mind to comfort the trembling Pokemon.

"I know that it's scary, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared either. But I want to see what you can do on your own. You're strong, Flabébé, you've been alone all this time and managed to keep both yourself and your flower alive. I know it's selfish, but can you show me that same power today, ok?" Red asked the fairy who was now staring at him with wide eyes in a soft tone, slowly nodding as pink colored her face at his praise and the sincerity in his words.

Gaining a determined but still anxious face, Flabébé floated back to the battlefield as she tried to ease her frazzled nerves. The sounds around her being nearly deafening for such a shy Pokemon, she shook her head as turned back to look at her trainer, seeing none of the malice, arrogance or dismissal that she was seeing on the faces of a majority of the stadium. Taking a shaky breath, she fixed her eyes on the Weavile before it, trembling slightly when she saw the amused look on its face.

["And we have our first picks for both sides folks! Flabébé for Red and Weavile for Clyde! Based on type advantage, Red's Flabébé has Weavile beat but from what we can see Red's Flabébé is a bit shy!"]

"Really? Alright then, Weavile crush that Flabébé! Ice Beam!" Clyde sneered as he directed his Weavile, the dark-ice type grinning as it formed a blue sphere between its hands.

Once the optimal amount of energy was reached, it thrust its hands out as an icy beam of energy raced towards Flabébé. Quickly growing panicked, it desperately wanted to rush back to the safety and comfort of Red's arms, though it forced itself to reject the tempting thought in favor of proving itself to its trainer. A jerk of its body sent it out of the Ice Beam's path, Weavile frowning as the tiny fairy dodged its attack. It's form being so small, it was a rather tricky target, even for a Pokemon as quick as Weavile.

"Tch. Shadow Claw, and don't give it a chance to dodge!" Clyde ordered with clear irritation in his tone, Weavile crossing its arms before slashing to the side as dark purple energy coated its claws.

A cry of affirmation leaving its mouth, it rushed down the stunned fairy before unleashing a brutal and unrelenting assault against it. Weavile's speed was clearly top notch for its species, Red's eyes staring at the dark-ice type with critical eyes while it tried to strike Flabébé. For the fairy, panic and terror were an understatement for what she was feeling. Never had she faced such a ruthless assault from such a vulnerable position, her tiny size being her only saving grace as she racked her mind for what to do.

With a cry, she had a small pink mist start to form around her before unleashing a Fairy Wind at the attacking Pokemon. Weavile squinting as the sparkly wind brushed across its face, it had to admit it felt its face itch and tingle from the fairy energy that the mist contained. But it had felt stronger attacks from a freshly hatched Caterpie then what the tiny fairy displayed. A growl leaving its throat, it heard its trainer call out for a particular attack as it suddenly grinned, a rich purple coloring its claw as it took a breath.

Releasing a wide ranged Icy Wind, Clyde smirked when he saw the tiny Pokemon start trembling from the frigid winds. If his guess was correct, it would defend that flower with its life, and what kills flowers, the cold. His reasoning was proven to be true when Flabébé hugged her flower tighter to pour more energy into it to avoid having it freeze from the sudden cold. That momentary lapse in focus was exploited when Weavile struck with a devastating Poison Jab, the tiny fairy crying out in agony as Weavile continued to strike it before once final jab sent it flying back.

Pain unlike anything she had felt coursing through her body, Flabébé felt her hands lose their grip on her flower as she hit the ground and rolled a fair distance from it. A weak cry leaving her mouth, humiliation and shame soon flooded her mind as she realized what had just happened. Those feeling were only accompanied by guilt and tears when Weavile stepped on the stem of the flower, sneering as it as it rubbed it into the dirt, bounding back to Clyde in a satisfied manner as he openly mocked the downed fairy.

"That's it!? Haha, I thought this was a tournament for the best of the best, not some place a no name newbie could just walk into! Just give it up man, leave before you embarrass yourself even more, and take that weak thing back with you." Clyde sneered with utter distain in his voice, part the crowd jeering Red while the other looked on with a uncomfortable expression.

["Err, w-well there you have it folks, Flabébé and Red's inexperience seems to have cost them the first battle! Perhaps Red was nervous in his first tournament match to give orders to his Pokemon! Hopefully the newcomer will find his stride!"]

"Ha... Maybe we were expecting too much? The kid I knew wouldn't give a two bit shit like that a single win." Surge asked in a strangely melancholy tone, his eyes hard as he stared at the young man who gave him the battle of his life.

"T-There must be a reason for Red to have lost to such a vulgar opponent! The Red we all know wouldn't have lost a single round to such a person!" Erika adamantly stated, the sentiment shared between the Kanto Gym Leaders as they sat together in their private booth.

"Erika is correct Surge, it seems that Red was merely seeing the abilities of that Pokemon. I have no doubts about his win." Sabrina added in a sure tone, drawing a smirk from Surge as he stared back at the capped youth.

"How dare he... A Flabébé's flower is just as important as its life. To disrespect and trample on it like it were garbage, what a despicable man!" Valerie spat out in a hateful tone that greatly contrasted her benign appearance, her friends looking at her with slightly scared expressions at such a terrifying face on the fairy type expert.

Wordlessly, ignoring the words being thrown at him, Red walked into the battlefield as he gently picked up Flabébé and her flower. Cleaning both of them of the dirt that clung to them, he looked down at the tiny fairy as she hid her face in shame, Red walking back as he merely stoked her head in a gentle and soft manner. Slowly, she turned her head up and felt the dam of tears breaking when she saw the proud and fond smile on the face of her trainer. Who was she, a complete weakling even by standards of her own kind, to be shown such warmth and love?

"You did well." Red whispered to her in a tone that held no room for arguement, Flabébé feeling even worse as she finally let a few tears fall from her eyes.

The sight drawing Red's attention, he smiled softly when he saw her taking the loss as hard as any one of his team. The bitter taste of defeat was essential to becoming stronger. Red surmised that had Pikachu not lost all those years ago to Ethan's Mega Ampharos they would have stagnated to the point it would be laughable. Placing Flabébé into his left hand after handing her back her flower, Red took another Pokeball before releasing the Pokémon who she had taken a shine to the most over the past few days. A flash of light fading from the monstrous of Venusaur as an earth shaking roar rocked the entire stadium.

Silence was what followed as the entirety of the jeers, cheers and chatter ceased upon the sight of the green behemoth. Mouths dropped, eyes widened and sweat dripped when they felt the power and presence that the Pokemon exuded. But it wasn't just Venusaur as Red adjusted his hat, his crimson eyes finally coming into view as a heavy presence fell onto all who stared into their rich pools. It was a harsh contrast, the quiet and meek looking trainer who had just lost a battle without so much as putting up a fight to the frigid and seemingly omnipotent trainer casting a gaze that felt as though he found you unworthy of even being looked at. The first to break from the trance was the announcer, managing to find his voice as he gushed at the scene.

["A-And here we go folks! Red's next Pokemon is a monstrous Venusaur! I didn't think they could even get this big! Let's see if its enough with its type disadvantage against Weavile!"]

"W-Whatever! Ice Beam!" Clyde ordered as Weavile swallowed the lump in its throat as it fired the beam of icy energy at the titan before it, Venusaur merely standing there and tanking the hit with a bored expression on its face.

"My word... I didn't think there was a specimen like that around." The awed tone of Ramos said as he stared at Venusaur, his sentiments shared with his fellow grass experts as Gardenia could be seen barely being held back from jumping over the ledge.

"Let me go! I need to see it up close! I can smell it's aroma from here, just imagine how lovely it smells up close!" She snapped at Candice and Whitney, the two paling at the near superhuman strength she was exhibiting.

"T-That's a Venusaur?" May whispered in a disbelieving tone, her eyes slowly dropping to the Pokeball that contained her own Venusaur.

As the Ice Beam continued to pelt its hide, Venusaur yawned a bit as it turned to look at Red. Almost instantly it's nonchalant expression vanished when it saw the battered form of Flabébé, it's eyes widening as the tiny fairy offered it an equally tiny but shamed smile. But just as soon as it's eyes widened, they narrowed as it turned towards Weavile. Its gaze freezing the dark-ice type, it quickly ceases its attack and bounded back to create distance as Clyde grinned at the reminder of his Pokémon's advantage.

"Ha! What's that thing gonna do if it can't touch Weavile!" He sneered as Weavile blinked before joining in, having forgotten its innate advantage in speed and agility during the beast's entrance.

Red smirked slightly as he could feel Venusaur start to bristle at the blatant insults, even more so when Weavile started joining in as it turned and shook its tail at the titan. Speed wasn't something Venusaur were known for, after all, Red's Venusaur was considerably slower then others of the same species due to his lack of moving on Mt. Silver. But there was more to speed then just moving the body, as Weavile found out when it was suddenly snatched from its supposedly safe spot by Venusaur's vines faster then it or anyone else could comprehend.

The sentiment that was currently shared in the stadium was a resounding 'what' as they tried to grasp what had just happened. Speed and agility was something that Venusaur innately lacked, Red could attest to that as his Venusaur was even less agile then his Snorlax. On Mt. Silver where harassment by Sneasel and Weavile were a constant and a norm, he had to find a way for his team to combat them even when solo.

While everyone could deal with them to some degree, only Venusaur found trouble as he lacked the mobility of the others, coupled with his crippling weakness to ice, it was a match made in hell. But that's when the idea struck him, if his body was slow because of how large he was, when what about Pikachu or Espeon? With their smaller bodies, speed came as easy as breathing to the two.

A small body, a speedier body, a smaller part of itself to match the speed of Pokemon normally able to run circles around it with ease. That's when the idea of using his vines came to fruition. With his vines, matching Pikachu when he wasn't trying was a feat that wasn't impossible but definitely difficult. But in comparison to Pikachu moving at a nice and comfortable pace, the Weavile moving at its max speed before it may as well have been standing still.

"W-What the!?" Clyde shouted Weavile struggled to free itself, Venusaur merely bringing it up before slamming it into the ground without hesitation.

Dust obscured the form of Weavile as everyone gapped at the scene, the debris soon clearing as Weavile's prone form was seen. Recalling his fallen Pokemon, Clyde began sweating as he tried to ease his nerves. Never had he felt something like this before, it was supposed to be an easy win against a no name trainer. Swallowing he called out his next Pokemon as a flash of light soon appeared.

["Weavile is down! That Venusaur looks tough folks, taking an Ice Beam without even flinching! Let's see how Clyde counters!"]

"Excadrill, Dig!" Clyde called out in a nervous tone, the mole-like Pokémon letting a sound of affirmation as it burrowed into the ground.

Red raised a brow as did Venusaur while the green titan merely rose a leg and triggered a devastating Earthquake when he brought it back down. The ice and stone on the field shattered and rumbled as Clyde winced knowing the effect the attack had on Pokemon underground. That sentiment proved to be true when Excadrill managed to surface and promptly passed out when it did.

["Excadrill is down after a heavy duty Earthquake! It seems like Venusaur is unstoppable, ladies and gentlemen! Can Clyde come back from this!"]

The sight drew a strained look from Clyde as he recalled the downed Pokemon. As he gripped his last Pokeball, he loosened his grip before shaking his head. His pride was damaged and he instinctively knew that even with a full team of six, he wouldn't be able to deal with the behemoth in front of him. Lifting his head, he felt his heart freeze when the soul chilling gaze of Red caught his eyes, the young man feeling as though he were lower then dirt in the eyes of the opposing trainer. Shakily, he swallowed the lump in his throat and felt his shoulders slump at the humiliating and wretched thought. Turning around, he silently left the field as the crowd quieted. The sight of such a prominent battler simply giving up wasn't what was expected at such a high level tournament, it wasn't until the announcer spoke that the silence was broken once again.

["I-It would appear that Clyde has forfeited! That means that the victor is Red of Pallet Town!"]

Unlike the other matches, there weren't cheers that followed the announcement of Red's victory. Shock and confusion were all that could be felt from the crowd as they stared with eyes filled with the same emotions at the sight of the mysterious trainer. The initial reaction was that he was a rookie who managed to enter by some miracle, the Flabébé he had utilized being an absolute joke in such a high level tournament. But as soon as it had fainted, his demeanor and air changed.

Gone was a passive and greenhorn trainer and in his place, something that couldn't be described by anyone watching. The air of a Champion, no, it was something much greater that shrouded the man then the simple air of a Champion. The air of a Champion drew anxiety but also intrigue and excitement, the air around Red drew only caution and vigilance, something to stay away from, not strive to become. So, like the silence that followed his victory, as Red thanked and recalled his companions, silence also followed him as he left the battlefield.

Without sparing the crowd a glance, more so for the fact he was terribly bad with crowds, Red entered the waiting room of the lobby without issue. Getting slightly anxious stares by his fellow trainers, he ignored them in favor of getting to the nearest healing station for Flabébé. As he rounded the corner, a nostalgic instinct long forgotten in him rose to the surface. A tingle running down his spine, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand as he snapped around. His eyes darting back and forth, he failed to catch a glimpse of the two usually responsible for bringing such foreboding feelings to the forefront of his mind. A sigh leaving his mouth at his paranoia, he froze when he felt a pair of cold hands on his shoulders.

"Red! Long time no see ol' pal of mine! We have a lot of catching up to do, now don't we!"

"Oh Red! Where have you been all these years! Oh, we were oh so worried!"

Hearing the sickly sweet and sarcastic voices of his old friends brought a somber smile to the face of the raven haired youth despite knowing how upset they were at him, Red turning around to face the two who had their eyes snapped shut with strained grins on their faces. But seeing his face, the warmth and nostalgia in his eyes and his fond smile, the plan they had concocted fell apart as soon as they were about to execute it. Blue's eyes softening, they misted a bit as he brought the man into a manly half-hug, Red returning it as Blue chuckled. Releasing the brunette, Red turned to the other as Leaf was openly crying with a melting smile on her face, rushing to embrace him as she snuggled deeply into him, taking a deep inhale of its scent as she squeezed him tightly.

"I'm back you guys." Red said in a soft and gentle tone, Blue laughing while Leaf giggled with tears falling from their eyes.

"Took you long enough you god damn idiot!"

"I'm so glad you're back, Red!"

Lost in their own world the trio from Pallet, the prodigies of their generation, shared laughs and tears as they finally were reunited once again, only a decade late. Leaf wrapping her arms around Red's while Blue slung his arm around his shoulders, they headed towards the healing station, sharing stories and tales of the past ten years, intent on catching up as much as possible with one another.

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay ****awesome.**


	4. Chapter 4

"Red" - Person Talking

"_Red_" - Person Thinking

**"Red"** – Pokemon Talking

**"_Red_"** \- Pokemon Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

Requisition - Chapter 4

In a private room in Stadium A, a trio of young adults could be seen sitting around a small coffee table smiling and laughing like they had in their youth, cups of tea, coffee and water resting on the surface of the table as their conversation was mostly headed by the two brunettes. After reuniting with their childhood friend, Blue and Leaf quickly ushered him to the healing station before booking it to a private room for the three of them. Trading tales of their adventures after his disappearance, Leaf and Blue couldn't help but smile when they saw the shine that took root in the crimson eyes of the raven haired young man as they shared the travels to the various other regions that the world had to offer. Soon enough, Leaf wiping away a few tears while Blue recounted the tale of his last Gym battle, the two turned towards the raven haired young man with small smiles on their faces as they awaited his tale.

"So spill, where've you been these past ten years?" Blue asked with a bit of hurt in his voice, Red's eyes softening as Leaf tightened her hold on the capped young man's hand.

"Mt. Silver." Red answered equally softly as the eyes of the two widened, the raven haired youth smiling as they sighed in tandem.

"I can't believe you, Red. You were barely eleven! What were you thinking, you idiot!" Leaf snapped at him as she reached up and pulled on his ear, the crimson eyed man wincing as he endured his much deserved punishment.

"I was training." He added quickly in an attempt to placate them as they shot him blank stares, Leaf yanking his ear a bit harder as Blue shook his head in disbelief.

"There are plenty of places that could've worked better then that death trap, Red. Heck, Gramp's place would have been perfect with the number of people you could train and battle with." Blue said in a disbelieving tone while Leaf nodded as she released his ear, Red shaking his head slightly after rubbing his ear as they turned to stare at him in curiosity.

"I wanted to be somewhere quiet. You two know how I am with people..." Red said in a soft and slightly self-loathing tone, the eyes of the two softening as Blue moved to pat him on the shoulder while Leaf cuddled into the other.

"But it wouldn't have killed ya to write every now and again. Your mom passed out when she found your letter, and let's not talk about how much she cried after." Blue said softly with a wry tone, Red's eyes having a deep flash of guilt and shame pass them as Leaf gently rubbed his arm to help calm him.

"While what you did was completely stupid and something Blue would do, all that matters now is that you're back. Safe and sound." Leaf told him in a soft and loving tone, Blue nodding his head in agreement before freezing when he realized her choice of words.

"The heck is that supposed to mean, Leaf? Something I would do?! I wouldn't do something as crazy as that!" He snapped at her with an incredulous tone, Leaf offering him a pitiless smile as his brow twitched in turn.

"Come'on Blue, who was the wise guy who planned to have Professor Oak's Charizard fly us to Johto when we were six?" Leaf asked with a smug look on her face, Blue gaining a tinge of pink as he looked away to avoid seeing that haughty look.

"Remember when Blue blamed the two of us for letting the Tauros out of their pen to see if we could catch one of them and ride it when we were seven?" Red added as Blue turned pale at the horrific memory, Leaf giggling as they poked at the bitter failures of their so-called 'leader's' plans.

"Ah, god damn it! I get it, sheesh! Yeah, sure, I wasn't one hundred percent perfect when it came to plans, but at least I had the brains to make them!" He snapped at at the pair, getting blank looks in turn as he remained undeterred.

"I was the one who managed to convince our parents into letting us stay at Professor Oak's lab overnight when we actually went and camped out in the forest when we were eight."

"Remember the time I got my mom's Dragonite to fly us all to Cinnabar Island and back to collect rocks from the volcano before anyone noticed we were gone?"

Silence falling between the trio at the memories of their exploits and failures, it broke when Leaf and Blue cracked grins while Red had a smile cross his face. Their current squabbling, the petty arguments and attempts to outshine each other, that was what had eluded the three for nearly a decade. Leaf and Blue nearly had a falling out a few years following the raven haired youth's disappearance, only managing to reconcile due to the combined efforts of the families and the strong bonds that they held with each other. Hearing that, Red fell into a slightly more sullen slump as Blue continued to prattle on about the negatives of what had happened during his decade of solitude. That tirade was once again cut short when a hand swatted the back of his head, the brunette yelping before flashing a heated glare at an equally irked Leaf. But as they had done time and time again in the past, Red stepped in to help cool the two hot-heads that were an integral part of his life; Leaf calming nearly immediately when she felt his hand run through her brown locks, Blue was a bit harder to calm but a few reassuring pats on the back helped ease him back to a cool state.

"Have you two battled yet?" Red asked after soothing his childhood friends, Blue flashing him a grin while Leaf shook her head in the negative.

"Heh, not yet Red, I've got about an hour to kill before my match. But judging from what I saw from my opponent and their achievements, I ain't worried, they aren't you or Leaf." Blue reported in a nonchalant manner, Red offering him a small smirk while Leaf flashed him a smug grin.

"Now that you reminded me, what's our current record? I know for a fact that I'm thirty one, twenty four and fifteen." Leaf asked as Blue seemed to twitch in response, Red blinking as he realized much that they had been battling each other during his absence.

"Tch. Thirty, twenty five and fifteen." Blue stated in a slightly bitter tone, both of them turning to Red as he furrowed his brows slightly to recall the battles that they had.

"Twenty two, two and two." He answered with a small pout forming on his face, his friends snickering before realizing how absurd his win, loss and draw record was with them.

"W-Wait, have we really only beaten and had a draw with you once, each?" Leaf asked in a slightly shaken tone, Blue's eyes wide as he remembered the humiliating and devastating defeats he suffered at the hands of his raven haired friend.

"You've got to be shitting me!? The hell was wrong with us?!" Blue groaned as he palmed his face in humiliation, Leaf begrudgingly sharing the vulgar statement as she buried her face into her hands.

"You two did your best." Red reassured them with a smug smile and matching tone, instantly drawing the ire of the two as they shot heated glared at him.

"Oh, you think you're hot stuff, huh? We'll see how hot you are when I mop the floor with you in this tournament! Don't think we've been sitting around, twiddling our thumbs while you were up on that mountain training. My Blastoise is just itching for a rematch with your Charizard!" Blue snapped at him with vigor and heat in his tone, his eyes shining with an all too familiar competitive light.

"You'll be begging for us to go easy on you when we battle, Red. Just because I love you doesn't mean I'm going easy on you! Venusaur has been waiting to stomp all over your Charizard for all the times he's set her on fire when we were kids!" Leaf added with an equally fired up tone, Red's haughty smile melting to a warm and nostalgic one as Leaf and Blue turned towards each other.

"If there's anyone who's gonna stomp that guy into the ground, it's gonna be me."

"Cute. Real cute, keep dreaming pretty boy."

The two of them snapped as they started to grind their foreheads against each other, their eyes full of vigor and competitive spirit as they butted heads with lightning arcing between their gazes. But their stand down was broken when the PA system suddenly sounded, the three gaining curious looks as they turned to face the loudspeaker mounted on the wall.

["Will Leaf of Pallet Town please report to Stadium E for your battle, this is your first warning! Please report to Stadium E for your first battle!"]

Hearing the loudspeaker announce the absence of such a prominent trainer, one of Pallet's 'Legendary Trio' no less, caused a bit of a stir through the tournament grounds. For those who didn't know Leaf personally, her fans, they were in a bit of a panic as they began spouting and spreading possible situations that could have led to the disappearance of their idol. But for those who knew her, they all shook their heads in disbelief and exhaustion as they knew exactly where she currently was, if the shocking and sudden reveal of her beloved childhood friend was any indication. And for the brunette herself, she had a crimson colored face while steam seemed to billow from out of her ears, Blue holding his abdomen as his laughter began to cause him physical pain. Red was a bit more understanding as he merely offered her a small but wry smile while rubbing her head to help ease her embarrassment, knowing that it was partially his fault that she was late to her match. Without uttering a word, she lashed out and snuffed out the laughter that was escaping Blue with a blow that would have made a Hitmonchan impressed. A gurgle leaving Blue's mouth, he turned pale as he slumped to the ground with both hands clutching his stomach; Red offering him a silent prayer as he was once again reminded of the young lady's frightening physical prowess and short temper.

"L-Let's go, Red! I don't want this asshat at my match!" Leaf spat out in a tone of mixed embarrassment and anger, latching onto Red's hand before sprinting and dragging along the raven haired young man by result.

(Scene Change: Pokemon World Tournament - Stadium E)

With a mix of anger and panic fueling her body, Leaf sprinted towards Stadium E in almost record time with Red in tow. The entire trek having taken five minutes in comparison to the nine that it had taken Blue and herself earlier, though the two times couldn't be compared as she currently wasn't fueled by a decade's worth of Red deficiency. Quickly moving into the waiting room, she tossed Red onto a bench before bolting onto the field. The sudden entrance and departure of the brunette startling everyone in the vicinity, they turned to look at Red as he merely remained quiet with an aloof expression on his face. Ignoring them, he turned towards the screen displaying the battlefield and watched with shining eyes as the embarrassed but ready face of Leaf came into view. Seeing her appear the crowd went wild as she bashfully rubbed the back of her head while smiling and waving, her family and friends all sighing as they shook their heads.

["Looks like Leaf is finally here, folks! Due to her tardiness, Leaf will release her Pokemon first! Now, let's see what field she will choose!"]

"I'll take a grass field, please!" Leaf chirped towards the referee as she smiled in turn, the official following through as she typed into the device on her wrist before the ground opened.

"This will be a three on three battle between Leaf of Pallet Town and Alilo of Anistar City! The green trainer will release her Pokemon first and substitutions are allowed! The match will end when all of one's Pokemon are unable to battle!" The referee announced as the crowd cheered for their favorites, Leaf growing a bit more embarrassed when she saw the banner with her face being held by her family and friends.

The open field was soon replaced with a field full of lush grass, tall enough to cover the ankles of the two trainers staring the other down. Across from Leaf, Alilo flashed her a grin that was returned as Leaf moved to secure her first battler. Grasping a worn looking pokeball, she smiled fondly before releasing her most trusted and oldest partner, a brief flash of light shining before fading from the form of her Venusaur. A mighty roar leaving its mouth, the crowd went wild at the sight of her strongest and signature Pokemon, Alilo having a calm smile grace her face at the sight of the grass type. Reaching for her own pokeball, she released her first battler as a flash of light soon faded from the form of her Medicham. The eyes of the Pokemon meeting, so did the eyes of their trainers as the referee nodded as she raised her hands.

"Let the battle, begin!" She called out as Medichan took the initiative, rushing towards Venusaur with her fists lit aflame.

"Sleep Powder." Leaf called out in a calm tone, Alilo's eyes widening as she tried to order Medicham to halt her charge.

That proved to be futile as a large cloud of bluish powder was expelled from the flower on the grass titan's back. The spray of powder seemingly denser and being spread at a larger and faster rate then normal, Medicham was unable to avoid it as it washed over and covered her body. Taking an inhale of the somniferous powder, the Meditate Pokemon felt her senses dulling and her body growing heavier. Then, she collapsed onto the ground as Venusaur took advantage of the situation to intensify the daylight with her Sunny Day. Seeing that, Alilo quickly recalled Medicham and released her Tropius to battle, Venusaur's eyes shinning as she eyed the confident looking grass type in front of her. With a cry, Alilo's Tropius spread its wings before taking to the skies, a bluish-white spiral of energy began to build around its leaf-like wings as it hovered above Leaf's Venusaur. Soon, that energy was released as a wicked cross-shaped Air Slash was sent racing towards Venusaur. A bit intrigued by the other grass type's speed, Leaf quickly lost it when she remembered that the sun's rays were amplified by her partner. Issuing an order to her Venusaur, she acted as a quickly charged up Solar Beam tore through the offending cross-shaped blade of energy. The beam having lost little to no power, it impacted against Alilo's Tropius as it let out a cry of pain despite the type advantage that it held.

"End it." Leaf quipped in the same calm tone from before, her Venusaur following the orders of her trainer as she had a blue glow pulse off her body.

Letting a fierce roar leave her mouth, she took a breath as a bluish-white spiral of energy began to build in front of her mouth. Soon enough, she released an Air Slash that she had copied using Mimic; the eyes of Alilo and the audience widened a bit at the surprising and unexpected attack. The Air Slash connecting with the injured form of Tropius, it let out another cry before unconsciousness took it, dropping to the ground and remaining motionless as it was recalled by Alilo. A grimacing crossing the face of the trainer, she gave Leaf a look of trepidation as she debated her next choice, gritting her teeth before releasing her next battler.

A ready cry leaving the mouth of Alilo's Heatmor, it focused its attention on Leaf's Venusaur as a fire lit up in its eyes. Turning to look at its trainer, Alilo shot it a resolute look as it lowered its body and rushed forward, a light blue glow trailing off of its claws as it closed in on the grass type. Stopping in front of the titan, it let loose a quick and powerful Aerial Ace that caused the head of the titan to tilt slightly. The triumph that it felt was soon shattered when an eye cracked open to look down on the fire type, Heatmor's eyes widening before it was sent reeling back when a vine of the behemoth connected with its abdomen. A pained shout leaving its mouth, it laid on the ground before collapsing when an Earthquake set off by the titan rocked its body. Seeing that she had already lost two of her Pokemon and the last was still asleep, Alilo offered Leaf a pained but congratulatory smile as she forfeited the match.

"Alilo has forfeited the match, Leaf is the victor!" The referee announced as the crowd cheered for the two, the two young ladies moving to exchange handshakes before vacating the field.

["Looks like that's it for this match folks! With her Medicham still sleeping, Alilo has decided to forfeit the match! Let's hear it for these two great trainers, ladies and gentlemen!"]

Quickly vacating the field, Leaf returned to the waiting room in a better mood then she had left it, a content smile on her face as she scanned the room for her beloved raven haired childhood friend. Before long, she found him staring intently at a holographic screen that was displayed in front of his eye, her own eyes sparkling at the amazing and interesting looking piece of tech. Making her way over, she instantly froze when a trio of familiar faces were quickly moving to surround the raven haired youth with utter joy etched onto their faces and in their eyes.

Misty, Erika and Sabrina were utterly ecstatic as they finally pin pointed the location of their region's youngest and greatest Champion, having left the Gym Leader's box in Stadium A faster then they could ever remember moving in their lives. Ignoring the voices of their fellow Kanto colleagues as they scrambled to follow after the three, the were currently red faced and breathing a bit harder then usual as they found the vigor and excitement that had spurred their actions from earlier a shell of what it was. Exchanging glances with each other, a silent agreement formed between them as the three moved to greet the young man who had stolen their hearts.

"R-Red! It's been a while!" Misty chirped in a bright and nostalgic tone as the young man flinched upon hearing his name from a person other then his friends and family, stiffly turning to glance at the orange haired young lady with wary crimson eyes.

Those same eyes widened a bit when he saw the faint image of a certain tomboyish girl who had given him quite possibly the largest migraine of his life when they battled nearly a decade ago, though to say that she was the same tomboy from before couldn't be further from the truth. Her previously tied up hair was freely flowing down, framing her face slightly and curled a bit at the ends. What was previously her signature outfit consisting of a simple blue swim top with matching bottoms was revamped to a form fitting white one piece swimsuit with blue trim. A light blue jacket with cyan cuffs laid over her swimsuit to help preserve a bit of her modesty, with the orange haired young lady wearing a simply pair of white sandals.

"Misty?" Red asked in a surprised tone, the eyes of the young lady growing moist as a tearful and melting smile soon crossed her face.

"Red!" She squealed when she heard his voice, a voice that broke all bastions of self restraint that she had placed on herself.

Forgetting the truce that she had recently erected with Erika and Sabrina, she lunged at the capped youth and wrapped her arms around his neck. Burying her face into the crook of his neck, Misty ignored the others present as she snuggled deeply into the now frozen man. But slowly, Red's stunned expression melted away to a nostalgic one as he returned the young lady's embrace, Misty's heart practically soaring as she let out an extremely content and happy sigh. But that sigh turned to a squeak as she was forcibly pried off of the raven haired youth when a shroud of light green energy covered her person.

"Already breaking our agreement..." The cold and emotionless voice of Sabrina stated as Misty froze before offering the psychic and florist a sheepish smile while rubbing the back of her head, Erika and Sabrina giving her both unamused looks as the psychic gently set her down.

Seeing the display of psychic power caught the attention of the capped young man, Red's eyes widening as he saw the very changed form of quite possibly the scariest person he had met who wasn't a complete threat to his life, his mother and father being the only two who could trump the psychic type expert. Gone was the long haired, red dress with a black sash wearing girl who had threatened to throw him out of her gym should he disappoint her. Now, Sabrina had a completely different look, her long hair cut down to her mid back, curled enough that it was hanging above her shoulders. A red spaghetti top that showed off her toned midriff, she had a pair of white pants with a black belt and matching red flats. But the most defining feature of hers were the two bangles that were hanging around her wrists, black with green markings etched onto them.

"Sabrina?" Red asked the still scowling grayish-blue haired young lady, said young lady freezing upon being addressed by the young man as she stiffly turned to face him.

In an instant, the cold mask of indifference that the psychic type Gym Leader prided herself on and kept on at all times slipped almost immediately upon being spoken to by the young man who had stolen her heart all those years ago. The fourteen year old girl who had found her first love and had it so quickly taken away came rushing forth as a deep blush covered the face of the grayish-blue haired young lady. Quickly covering her face with her hands, Sabrina desperately tried to hide the messy smile that was currently split across her face, crimson coloring it along with a few tears of complete happiness beginning to edge to the corners of her eyes.

"H-Hello, Red..." The psychic type expert said with a slight stammer, though the radiance and joy that her voice held could be felt by all who heard it.

Turning to the final young lady, Red saw that out of the three, Erika hadn't changed her appearance or state of dress as radically as the other two. Gone was her yellow kimono and red hakama, in its place a naples yellow kimono with a red sash, orange maple leaves and light orange clouds lining of the bottom of it. Finishing off her look were a pair of white kneesocks, with a pair of orange tabi. Though, her signature red hairband was still in its rightful place, her hair unchanged if a bit longer then it was originally. When the grass type Gym Leader noticed his stare, she instantly flushed and adverted her gaze, demurely hiding the bottom half of her face with the sleeves of her kimono.

"I-It's been quite some time, Red!" Erika chirped with affection and warmth coloring her voice, gazing at him with eyes of equal intensity.

"It's great to see you all again." Red told the three with a small but warm smile on his face, the hearts of the three gushing as a shade of deeper pink colored their cheeks.

Rushing over to him, Erika shocking the other two young ladies with how quick she was, they immediately started pelting him with the questions that had plagued their hearts during the ten years of his absence. A bit overwhelmed by the three in front of him, Red shrank back a bit as his innate shyness began to surface once more. Seeing that, along with the torrential flood of jealousy that filled her person, Leaf marched up to the capped young man before wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him to her chest. The sudden action startling everyone, Red flinched upon feeling someone hug his neck only to relax when he realized it was just his other fiery childhood friend.

At the sight of Red being embraced by another beautiful young lady, shock and disbelief filled the three Gym Leaders. But that shock wore off when they saw the way the raven haired young man seemed to relax in the brunette's arms, jealously quickly filling their bodies when they finally realized just who it was that was embracing the young man who they held affection for.

"Leaf." Misty spat out in a distasteful tone, having already been on bad terms with the brunette with how much their personalities overlapped and clashed.

"Could you three cool it with the questions? Can't you see that you're making Red uncomfortable." Leaf asked with a slightly haughty tone, emphasizing her point by bringing her childhood friend deeper into her chest.

"Leaf, I'm fine now. You can let go." Red told her with a bit of pink on his cheeks, internally cursing himself with his weakness in social situations.

"I agree with Red, Leaf. I think it would be best if you release him." Erika added as she offered the brunette a friendly smile that held no malice, though the slightly glazed look in her eyes spoke volumes of how she truly felt inside.

"..." Sabrina chose to remain silent as she glared at the other woman, Leaf turning to meet her glare with one of her own as a tense chill overtook the area.

The tension in the waiting room beginning to creep in intensity, it was suddenly broken when a boisterous voice called out to the capped youth currently in Leaf's arms. The five turning their heads, they saw the entirety of the Kanto Gym Leaders, Elite Four and Champion as they entered the waiting room, Surge leading the group as a wide grin covered his face. The sight of all of Kanto's prominent trainers gathered in one place being a stunning sight, even more so when the other trainers in the waiting room saw that their sights were all trained on the mysterious capped young man who caused such a stir during his first battle, they followed the large group as Lance motioned for the others to follow him to a private room off to the side.

"So, you got some explaining to do, kid! Where've you been these past ten years!?" Surge asked the capped youth as he scanned him from head to toe, grinning approvingly as he saw that the years had indeed been kind to him.

"Training." Red answered in his usual stoic and cool tone, the former military man blinking before a loud chuckle left his mouth.

"Ahaha, course you were! Where else would you have been? I doubt that you've got yourself a lady given how you are, so that makes the most sense, Red." Blane added with a light chuckle of his own, though he shrunk slightly when he felt a number of frigid glares on his person.

"While I am glad that you're safe and unhurt, it was rather irresponsible to have simply left after attaining the title of Kanto's Champion. Do you understand the headache that your sudden disappearance caused?" Lance said in a serious and tired tone as he recalled the countless media and public addresses that were made to appease the masses, Red having a grimace pass his face as he recalled Blue's words about his mother.

"Stop that, Lance. Can't you see the child is well aware of the repercussions that his decision caused. What happened in the past has already happened, do not bind him to it." Agatha told the dragon master in a stern tone, Lance grimacing a bit before lowering his head a bit in apology to the younger man.

As the Kanto natives were catching up with their youngest Champion, smiles, laughs and stories being shared with one another; elsewhere on the grounds of the Pokemon World Tournament, a certain brunette was smirking with his eyes closed as he recalled his oldest partner. Running a hand through his hair, Blue offered his defeated opponent a small smirk that was returned with a wry smile of their own. A content sigh leaving his mouth, he turned and exited the battlefield, entering the waiting room and expecting to hear the voices of his childhood friends showering him with praise for his one-sided victory in his opening match. But when he heard no such praise, or voices for that matter, Blue opened his eyes and stared with a blank look on his face at the now empty waiting room that he and Leaf had entered earlier.

"Where the hell is everybody!?" He shouted in exasperation, moving around the nearly empty room as the other occupants shot the youth confused and concerned looks.

It wasn't until a slightly distressed employee in the lobby who heard the brunette's shouting helped him towards the private room that his companions were residing in. At his knocking, a slightly annoyed looking Lance peeked through the door to dismiss him only so blink in surprise at the sight of his face. Seeing the Champion's surprised face brought a bit of anger and disbelief to Blue's face, unable to comprehend that his fellow Kanto trainers had forgotten about him. When he entered the room and voiced his question, to his utter horror, they indeed forgot about his person and his match, even his best friends much to their embarrassment.

Guiding the pale faced brunette into the room, Leaf and Red sat beside him as they patted him on the back, reassuring the young man that it was an honest mistake. Before long, the matches for the day had concluded, preparations for the main event of the tournament which were the 'named battles' between the region's prominent trainers. As the Kanto trainers began to depart from the room, Red had managed to sneak away from the large group as they were bidding each other farewell, a fond smile on his face as he watched the exchanges occurring.

"Where do you think you're goin?" The voice of his childhood friend suddenly said as he was about to head back to the forest, Red turning to see Blue staring at him with a raised brow while Leaf had a slightly hurt expression on her face.

"Back to camp." Red answered softly as the brunettes blinked a bit in confusion, turning to look at Red before looking towards the forest as they connected the dots.

"Wait, you didn't reserve a hotel room?! Red, this tournament is going to last at least two weeks, you're going to seriously be sleeping outside the whole time!?" Leaf snapped at him with an incredulous tone, Red tilting his head before nodding as the young lady nearly fainted at the thought.

"Come'on Leaf, it is Red we're talkin about. Remember back during Gramp's little summer camp thing? Red was the only one who slept outside past the first few days, even when I wanted to camp out with him I gave up after three." Blue added as the memories of being rained on in his sleeping bag still brought the brunette a slight wariness towards camping outdoors, Leaf shivering as she remembered the morning she awoke with a Weedle cuddling beside her face.

"Where are you two staying?" Red asked in a soft and curious tone, the two smirking as they pointed towards two large looking hotels off in the city.

"Driftveil Royal for me!"

"The Vanilluxe Grand Hotel!"

At their prideful and smug faces, Red couldn't help but smile wryly as he applauded them both for their choice in hotels. Taking the praise in stride, the two soon pushed aside their haughty facade as they offered their childhood friend a pair of concerned looks. While they weren't at all concerned for his safety, knowing that he could easily take on anything that was foolish enough to attack him and his Pokemon, they were more worried about his well being.

"You sure you'll be alright out there, Red? I can make room in my suite for you if you need me to."

"You know I don't mind sharing a bed with you, Red. There's plenty of room for the both of us, even if we sleep on opposite sides."

Hearing the concern and worry in the voices of his childhood friends brought a warm smile to the raven haired youth's face, Red shaking his head as he pointed towards the mountain range that laid beyond the sea of trees near the city. Turning to look at the rock formation, the brunettes in front of him gained curious and slightly confused expressions as they returned their gaze to their childhood friend.

"I was staying there the past three months." He told them as they slowly processed the piece of information, their eyes widening as once again remembered just how much of an idiot their childhood friend truly was in regards to his safety.

"Why not spend the night together? Like old times?" Red added as they were about to unleash a volley of questions for the capped young man, pausing as a pair of nostalgic smiles soon crossed their faces at the idea.

"Heh, why not? It'll give us a chance to really catch up."

"I think it's a great idea! We can let all of our Pokemon meet and catch up!"

Smiles and grins crossing the faces of the three, Leaf and Blue bid Red a quick farewell to return to their hotel rooms to gather the small amount of outdoor gear that they always brought with them, something hammered into them by their parents and Professor Oak. Promising to meet at the western most gate of Driftveil City, they nodded and went their separate ways. As their forms disappeared into the city, Red glanced around and saw that the sun was just hovering above the horizon, the raven haired young man activating his Pokedex and seeing that it was half past six in the evening. Seeing that it would take a bit for his childhood friends to pack, even more so Leaf as she always overpacked, he took a seat on a nearby bench while fiddling with the encyclopedia, reading over the various new Pokemon that he had seen being used by the other competitors. Lost in the descriptions and data that each article held, Red was unaware of the person who had taken a seat beside him, intently watching his face with a coy smile on her face.

"Hiya!" A cheerful voice chirped beside the capped young man, Red jumped slightly as he snapped to stare with slightly wide eyes at the source of the voice.

Sitting beside him with a barely controlled laugh filled grin was the Gym Leader of Sinnoh's Snowpoint City's Gym, Candice. For the black haired, braided pig tailed young lady, seeing the man who had stolen her heart upon first sight during their faithful encounter in the ice cream shop was a blessing from the world itself. But despite her best efforts and those of her good friends, she was unable to find her prince on the tournament grounds. But low and behold, she saw him once more as he gallantly entered the battlefield for his own match, a match that displayed both his kindness and ruthlessness. If she was honest, Candice wasn't all that much impressed after he sent out his first Pokemon and let it get beat down in such a ruthless manner, it was the opposite as she felt a bit of spite rise up inside of her at his treatment of his Pokemon and a sense of pity that her crush was a complete weakling.

But as soon as his delicate and fragile Flabébé was defeated and on the ground, he ignored all spectators and their jeers, opting to focus on ensuring that his little fairy was fine. After that, as soon as he released his second battler all former feelings that she felt about the capped young man were shattered as his Venusaur completely dismantled and defeated Clyde and his Pokemon with a searing type disadvantage, the memory of the green titan tanking the Ice Beam sent to it and literally yawning it off brought a wave of respect and awe towards both it and the trainer responsible for raising it. So, imagine her heartache when she rushed to personally meet her prince only to see that he had vanished once more, the poor ice type Gym Leader having drowned her sorrows with Whitney and Gardenia at the same ice cream shop that she had her faithful encounter.

Parting after out eating even Whitney in sheer volume of ice cream, something that brought a bit of fear into the eyes of the normal and grass type Gym Leaders, Candice wandered off in a daze as she tried to rid her mind of the gallant and mysterious image of her prince. After what felt like hours of wandering around the tournament grounds, which in reality was a meager four minutes, she took a seat on a bench and let loose a sigh that carried all of her hopes and dreams, the raven haired young lady beginning to accept that perhaps it wasn't meant to be. That statement was shattered in its entirety when she turned by chance and glanced at her companion sharing the bench she taken a seat on, her heart hammering harder and faster then she could ever remember feeling as her eyes widened with her mouth becoming agape. In her daze the Gym Leader had, by complete and utter chance, taken a seat beside the one person she had spent the greater part of her day searching for.

Seeing that he was lost in thought, most likely due to reading the holographic display that was currently resting in front of his eyes, Candice took the lucky opportunity and simply watched him. Taking in his features in full, she found herself growing more red as she carved the image of his face into her mind, his crimson eyes shining with a serious glint that held a childish hint of excitement as he scanned whatever it was that he was looking at. Before long, Candice decided to make herself known, greeting him and watching with a grin on her face as he jumped slightly in surprise. The sight nearly bringing a fit of laughter to her, she had to forcibly fight it down as he focused his attention to her.

"...Hello..." Red greeted the strange young lady beside him in a soft and slightly dubious tone, Candice sweat dropping a bit when she could practically feel the anxiety in his voice.

"D-Don't be nervous! I'm definitely not a suspicious person!" The black haired young lady quickly added to help set the man's heart at ease, panic beginning to set in when she saw him shift away from her slightly.

"I-I'm being serious here! Please don't act like I'm a dangerous person, I-I'm completely normal! See, look!" Candice whined in a tearful and pleading tone, her face growing red from both the misunderstanding and her sudden outburst as she pulled lightly on her cheeks to show it wasn't a mask.

Red watching the black haired young lady wave her arms around to try and smooth over their current situation with a wary gaze, he began to feel a tinge of pity for her when he saw her eyes begin to moisten with a thin sheen of tears lining them. The sight reminding him a bit of Leaf when Blue would tease her when they were younger, which Red had absolutely no connection to despite what the two brunettes would say otherwise, he leaned over and reached out to place his hand on her head. In her current flustered state, Candice's eyes being nearly perfect swirls with how embarrassed and mortified she was, she was unaware of the offending appendage until it connected with her head. A startled and surprised squeak sounding from her when she felt his hand on her head, the ice type Gym Leader stiffly and bashfully craned her head up and met the pitying gaze of the crimson eyed man.

"It's fine." Red whispered in a soft tone as he started to pet her head, his voice and action causing a shiver of pleasure to dance up and down the spine of the black haired young lady.

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to come off as a creeper, but I've been wanting to meet with you." Candice admitted in a flustered tone, Red raising a brow in curiosity as he removed his hand from her head much to her disappointment.

"W-Well, you see, I... I... I fell in lo-" Candice stammered out before a sudden pair of call outs made it the ears of the two, Red's attention shifting towards the source of the voices as the black haired young lady felt a bit of her soul chip.

"Candice! We finally found you!"

"We've been looking all over for you!"

A sullen and deflated look taking over the face of the ice type Gym Leader, Candice turned her head and saw the concerned faces of her best friends moving towards her. Now that she thought about it, she did leave them in the ice cream shop without a word, not to mention the bill. Thinking about it that way, her budding feelings of slight animosity towards them for ruining her confession melted to genuine gratitude for their concern for her. Offering the pair a small but warm smile, the worry that covered their faces soon melted as Whitney and Gardenia stopped before her. But before she could get a word out, Candice was grabbed and promptly put in a headlock by Whitney as a surprised squawk left the mouth of the black haired young lady.

"Finally! Now I can give you what's coming to you! What in the world were you thinking leaving Gardenia and I with the bill!? Especially since you ate four tubs of ice cream by yourself! I only ate two and she only ate one!" The normal type Gym Leader shouted with a face colored red with anger and indignation, Candice laughing wryly as she tried to placate her irate friend.

"H-Hey, I was going to pay you guys back! I-I just had some stuff I had to take care of! Yeah, that's it!" Candice stated in a sure but shaky tone as a pair of dead eyes from Whitney were all that met her.

"Gardenia, you know what to do."Whitney said in a low and dangerous tone, the eyes of the black haired young lady locked in her arms widening as a merciless grin crossed the face of the grass type Gym Leader.

Then, without waiting for a chance for their friend to voice her protests or pleas, Gardenia's hands shot out with speed that would have made a Machamp impressed. As soon as Gardenia laid her hands on her body, Candice sucked in a breath as the horror of what was to happen finally struck her. Then, just as quickly as she drew in a sharp intake of air, it was released as a cacoffiny of laughter was loosed from the throat of the black haired young lady. Laughing and thrashing about in the arms of Whitney, Candice struggled to pry the arms of the normal type Gym Leader off of her neck while trying to bat away Gardenia's wriggling fingers.

"A-Ahaha, s-stop! G-Guys, I-I a-ahaha! I'm serious! S-St-ahaha! I-I'm gonna! Gonna p-pee!" Candice shouted while laughter was woven with her words, tears beginning to form and fall from her eyes as the torture she was being subjected to only seemed to increase.

"Be nice." Red said in a slightly reprimanding tone as he lightly patted the two perpetrators on the head, the two stopping and blinking as they turned to look at the stranger who stopped them.

"Huh?"

"What?"

As they faced the stranger and saw his face, the confusion and slightly miffed expressions on their faces fell off almost immediately. Shock and awe coloring the faces of Whitney and Gardenia, they released Candice from their clutches in favor of addressing the man that they had spent the greater part of their day searching for. Seeing him up close, Whitney found herself blushing as she took in his features, a devilish mix of innocently boyish and charmingly handsome making up his face. As for Gardenia, the grass type Gym Leader was also smitten by the face of the young man, but there was a much more pressing matter concerning the capped man that she had to address.

"Please let me see your Venusaur!" She asked as she clapped her hands in front of her in a pleading manner, Red blinking at her rather enthusiastic demand as Whitney bopped her lightly on the head.

"G-Gardenia! Have a little modesty for pete's sake!" Whitney admonished her friend in an awkward tone, feeling extreme second-hand embarrassment from her fellow Gym Leader's demand.

The two falling into a little squabble, Candice took the momentary infighting between her friends to catch her breath and compose herself. Her face colored a deep crimson from both humiliation, exhaustion and utter mortification, the black haired young lady turned towards Red with teary eyes as he offered her a small and wry smile that only caused her spirits to fall even lower. Turning towards her still arguing friends, she vented her frustrations, embarrassment and fury on the two of them as a pair of squeals left the mouths of the two. Seeing the aftereffects of her handiwork, Candice puffed out her chest slightly as Whitney and Gardenia held their abused rears, turning with tearful eyes to glare at the ice type Gym Leader.

"...Are you two ok?" Red asked softly in an attempt to break and dispel the rather heavy and awkward atmosphere that permeated the area, the two wounded young ladies turning towards him with embarrassed expressions before their eyes gained a devious glint to them.

"Oh, it hurts so much, sir! Candice is always this violent, even when it comes to playful teasing by her dear friends!" Whitney cried in an overly dramatic manner, sniffling deeply as she rubbed her left eye with a single finger.

"That's right, sir! She's so violent and frightening at times I don't know what to do!" Gardenia added as she realized Whitney's intentions, following her overly dramatic manner of acting as she sniffled and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.

Seeing her two best friends acting in such a manner, Candice could only gape at them with a crimson colored face. Anger, embarrassment and a myriad of other emotions filling her body, it soon shifted to absolute mortification as she snapped to look at her prince, growing a strange shade of pale and pink as she could see the mirth that was swimming in his crimson pools.

Red, seeing the two girls act in such a manner was a surprising but amusing sight, something that brought him back to the days where Leaf would weasel her way out of punishment and leave Blue and himself to the wolves. The fact that they could argue, fight and joke with each other spoke volumes about their trust and connection with one another. It was something that instantly shone the three in a positive light for the crimson eyed young man, as evidenced when he knelt down slightly and pulled a small handkerchief that was handsewn together by his mother, a lucky keepsake of sorts he always kept on his person. Suppressing the small laugh that wanted to dance out of his mouth, he wordlessly dabbed away the faux tears that were lining the eyes of the two acting young ladies, causing them to instantly freeze as she gained a heavy dusting of pink on their cheeks.

"Beautiful girls shouldn't cry." Red said as seriously as he possibly could in his current comedic situation, which from the viewpoints of others was as serious as it came.

Finishing with gently wiping away their faux tears, he offered them a small smile before standing and heading towards the promised meeting place. Watching him go with wide eyes, crimson colored cheeks and rapidly pounding hearts; Whitney felt herself melting slightly as she replayed how gentle and kind the crimson eyed man was in contrast to his oppressive and frightening demeanor the first time she had encountered him.

For Gardenia, the grass type Gym Leader had never had any feelings of attraction towards others. For the most part, only grass type Pokemon could get her heart pounding with excitement and joy, something that some found to be rather unsettling and strange, not that it really bothered the orange and black haired young lady. But now, for the first time ever, Gardenia could truly and honestly attribute what she was feeling was the feelings of 'love' that her best friends constantly gossiped about during their chats. She had all the telltale signs that she had read in the books forced onto her by her friends, the poor young lady swallowing slightly as she found herself at a loss for words.

"Oh no..." Candice whispered in a horrified manner as she took in the current expressions on her friend's faces, growing pale with both horror and shock at what she was witnessing.

"H-Hey, Candi, y-you weren't seriously going for him, right?" Whitney asked after snapping from her enamored state, quickly turning to look at the black haired young lady with hopeful eyes.

"W-Wow... This feeling... I-It feels so... Warm and fluffy... I love it..." Gardenia whispered in a heartfelt and radiant tone, causing the two other ladies to snapped to stare at her in shock.

Wordlessly, Whitney and Candice stiffly craned their heads to stare at each other, the shock in their eyes melting to a competitive and serious glint as they nodded in agreement to the battle that had now started between the three of them. Turning to face their still dazed friend, they grabbed Gardenia and headed back to their hotel room to settle the ground rules for the upcoming battle, a battle that would only become larger and more chaotic as the days of the Pokemon World Tournament carried on.

With Red, the crimson eyed young man was heading towards their meeting place agreed upon by him and his childhood friends, moving at a sedate and calm pace. Being apart of the bustling streets did bring a bit of anxiety to the black haired young man, still not too comfortable being amidst a sea of people who he had no familiarity with. The pitiful thought brought a bit of self-loathing to the mind of the young man, Red sighing softly as he still hadn't overcome his innate shyness to the degree that he would have liked. A bit lost in his thoughts, he flinched when he felt someone gently tug on the hem of his jacket. Turning slightly, he saw a little girl around the age of ten staring up at him with shining eyes, something that unnerved the young man truth be told.

"Mister, are you the one who used that pretty Pokemon in your battle?" The girl asked with a hopeful voice, Red internally groaning as he saw her utilize the most powerful technique a girl could have when her eyes grew wide and shining.

Mentally debating what he should do, Red shifted his eyes slightly when a woman stepped forward and offered the young man a wry smile. Seeing that, along with the woman lightly scolding her daughter for being rude, Red felt his decision shift as he simply knelt down as the pair turned to look at him. Offering them a small smile, he took Flabébé's Pokeball and released the tiny fairy. A demure and cheerful cry leaving her mouth, she glanced around before a cute sounding squeak left her as she hid in the jacket of her trainer.

"Ah! Look, mommy! It's that pretty Pokemon I was telling you about!" The girl exclaimed with shining eyes, Red smiling softly as he gently nudged Flabébé from her hiding place.

The little fairy peeking its head out, she timidly glanced at the girl staring at her with those entranced eyes of her. Seeing that she wasn't as scary as the Weavile she had faced the first time she was called upon, the fairy type offered her a small and shy smile that was returned ten-fold. The sight bringing a bit of ease to the heart of the fairy, she slowly but surely began to come out of her shell as she started to play a bit with the grinning girl. Before she knew it, she was bidding a fond farewell to the girl and her mother, the woman thanking Red for entertaining their overly energetic daughter.

"You did great. Better then me." Red told the still smiling fairy currently nuzzling against his cheek, Flabébé turning to look at her trainer as a bit of an understanding light entered her eyes.

Gently giving his cheek a tiny kiss, she continued to nuzzle him with all that she had to help ease and erase the murky thoughts of self-doubt that she could sense in him. Feeling her earnest and heartfelt emotions, Red lost the traces of self-loathing that started to fill his person, raising his hand and gently stroking the head of the tiny fairy. A pleased sound leaving Flabébé, Red had a soft laugh leave his mouth, ever grateful towards fate for bringing such a brilliant light into his gray world.

It was a bit strange to the crimson eyed man, that such a pure and sincere Pokemon wouldn't have been befriended by anyone during the time she was stranded in Unova. There wasn't a soul, save those who were pitch as black, that wouldn't have jumped in to save her in her time of need. And even more so, there was something special about the tiny fairy happily snuggling into in, Red could practically _feel_ raw emotion and energy radiating off of her as she helped ease his troubled emotions.

"Thanks, Flabébé." Red whispered in a soft and grateful tone, the tiny fairy staring at him for a bit before shaking her head in the negative at his words of gratitude.

Instead, she just opted to point towards herself then hug his cheek once more. Seeing that, no more words needed to be exchanged as they shared warm smiles with each other. Flabébé finding a comfortable place on the bill of Red's cap, she let out a content sound as she nestled there. The sight bringing an amused and fond smile to the raven haired young man, he simply continued on his way, intent on showing the world the true potential that was held in the tiny body of the fairy sleeping on his hat. Before long, Red found himself at the appointed meeting place, leaning against the wall of the gate as he opened his Pokedex once more. But it wasn't long before he was broken from his reading, as a certain brunette was nearing the raven haired young man's location.

"Oi, Red! Wait long?" The ever boisterous voice of Blue called out as Red broke from his reading as did Flabébé from her nap, shifting their heads to see Blue heading towards them with a small backpack slung over his shoulder.

"Four minutes." Red reported as he deactivated his Pokedex, Blue flashing him a grin as he followed Red's example and leaned against the wall after setting his pack down.

"So, now that Leaf isn't here, how bad was it." Blue asked after a few seconds of silence, his usual haughty and loud tone gone and in its place one that held utter seriousness.

"...I almost died a few times." Red admitted after keeping silent for a second, Blue's eyes hardening as clenched his fists tightly at the idea of his best friend passing somewhere where no one would find him.

"You're a complete idiot you know that? Answer me honestly, Red. Did you even think about us when you left?" Blue asked in the same serious and hard tone as before, Red turning to face him with a pair of sorrowful eyes as the brunette sighed and shook his head.

"I won't tell anyone else, so level with me man. What happened up there." Blue said as Red gained a somewhat hollow look in his eyes, the sight immediately raising red flags for both the brunette and the fairy as Red began to weave the story of his decade on Mt. Silver.

(Time Skip - Fifteen Minutes Later)

"-nd that was what happened the first year while I was up there. I don't remember what happened after I woke up, just that Eevee had evolved into Espeon to save me." Red reported softly as the wide eyes of both Blue and Flabébé were trained on his person, Red glancing around warily before raising his black shirt slightly.

As soon as the crimson eyed young man raised his shirt, Blue and Flabébé could only gape at the number of scars that littered his abdomen. Each scar varied in its origin, be it cut, stab, bite or otherwise; the eyes of the two nearly popping from their sockets when he reached his chest. Before, the two could make out the faint trails of what seemed to be a large scar spanning the length of Red's body, but now, they could only imagine what horrific incident caused the scar that crossed diagonally across his body, Blue estimating that it spanned from his shoulder to his hip judging from the scar tissue.

"What... What the fucking hell... Does anyone else know?" Blue whispered in a stunned and disbelieving tone, Red offering the brunette a small and apologetic smile as Flabébé immediately rushed to embrace her trainer.

"It's ugly, I know... And just you..." Red whispered with a mirthless laugh, Blue snapping from his horrified state to slam his hand onto the shoulder of his best friend.

"Tell me. What did that to you. I swear, I'll get back at it no matter what it takes. No one, man or Pokemon, fucks with my best friend like that." Blue spat out in a tone of absolute hatred, his eyes ablaze with anger and rage unlike the usual competitive fire that it typically held.

"It was a long time ago, Blue. I... I don't remember what happened..." Red answered with a visible grimace of pain, wincing as he raised a hand to clutch at his head.

Seeing his childhood friend become visibly pained with trying to recall the memory of what had attacked him, Blue lost a bit of the spiteful fire that was raging in his eyes. A shaky and tired sigh leaving the mouth of the brunette, Blue simply gave the shoulder he was holding a reassuring squeeze. Whilst he was trying to comfort his best friend, Flabébé had a determined look on her face as she closed her eyes. Soon her body began to glow with a light blue-green aura before a gentle cry left her mouth, pulses of that same light blue-green aura coming off with a bell-like chime.

With the use of Heal Bell, Blue let out a sigh of relief when he saw the pained expression on the face of his best friend lessen before it faded away completely. Turning to look at the tiny fairy responsible for healing his friend, Blue's look of gratitude slowly gained an edge of suspicion as he realized the implications of what he had just witnessed.

"_Flabébé don't naturally learn Heal Bell, heck I don't even think I've seen one use that move at all since I've known about them. Something is way off about that thing, not to mention the weird vibe that I'm getting from it. It's like I can physically feel how it feels, and that ain't_ normal." Blue thought to himself as he continued to stare at the close-eyed fairy with critical eyes, making a mental note to ask his grandfather and cousin about known cases of Flabébé utilizing Heal Bell.

But he pushed his suspicions aside for the moment in favor of checking on Red, feeling his anxiety fade when an eased sigh left the mouth of the raven haired man. Turning to look at his Flabébé, Red offered her a grateful smile as he rose his head to gently stroke her head, a demure and exuberant cry of happiness and content sounding from the tiny fairy as she hugged her trainer's nose. The action surprising Red, he blinked before a light laugh left his mouth as Flabébé joined in with absolute joy in her voice.

Watching the scene play out in front of him, Blue felt the concerns he had about the fairy fade slightly as something that could laugh as pure as the Flabébé in front of him wasn't necessarily evil or a complete threat. But still, the fact that Blue could physically feel the Pokemon's joy and happiness, as if it were an invisible mist or aura radiating from her tiny body, brought a level of intrigue that he needed to sate later on. But for now, he opted to simply watch as his childhood friend played with his newest addition, a small smile crossing his face as the ghastly memory of Red's pained face was set aside in favor of supporting the joyous one he was currently wearing. Lost in their little moment, the trio were able to pass the time quickly, the exuberant shout of the final member of their trio breaking them from their minor stupor.

"I'm here! All ready!" Leaf shouted as she eagerly waved towards Red and Blue, stopping before them as she panted a bit from her rushed trek from her hotel.

"Took ya long enough, Leaf. I see you packed enough for one night." Blue told the other brunette in a sarcastic tone, a disbelieving look on his face at the backpack and suitcase that she was carrying.

"Bite me, Blue! Just because you two like sleeping in the mud doesn't mean I do! And I'll have you know that I pack _just_ enough for one night, thank you very much!" Leaf snapped back in a heated tone, Blue feeling his eye twitch as she happily hopped next to Red before leaning towards him while trying to appear small and meek.

"Red, can you please carry my bags for me? I'm really tired from my match earlier today, it would mean a lot to me." Leaf asked her best friend with her usual pleading tone, batting her eyes cutely and maidenly as Blue made a gagging sound in the background.

Shooting him an irritated glare, she quickly swapped to stare back up at Red with a pair of wide and watery eyes, Red groaning internally for the second time in the day as he fell victim to the same technique twice. Shooting the brunette a dry look, she merely giggled as he took her bags, slinging her backpack over his shoulder while taking the suitcase with his hand. Now that her arms were free of their 'worldly' weights, she latched onto Red's free arm before snuggling into him with a content sigh leaving her mouth. Watching her act so clingy with her trainer, Flabébé garnered Red's before pointing towards the purring brunette with a confused look on her face. Seeing that look, Red just smiled wryly as Blue snickered beside him. The gang all together once more; Red, Blue and Leaf all headed towards Red's campsite, smiles on the faces of the three as they chatted happily with one another.

(Scene Change - Unova: Route 6 - Red's Campsite)

"Huh, not too shabby, Red. Nice log."

"Wow, I expected it to be just a sleeping bag and a fire pit."

Upon entering his campsite, Red showed Blue and Leaf the luxurious amenities that he had to offer. A sizable fire pit, a few logs that functioned as chairs, and a larger log that acted as a table of sorts and his sleeping bag with a simple leanto to keep the rain and snow away. Overall, it was much nicer then the campsites that they remembered Red having in the past, having been as minimalistic as humanly possible. Settling into the campsite, the duo gained fond smiles as the many memories that they had with camping with each other came flooding back to them, each of them pitching a tent in a triangular formation using Red's sleeping bag as a reference point. Finally settled in, the three shared looks before barely controlled smiles appeared on their faces as they moved to their beloved and trusted partners.

"Everyone, come out."

"Come on out you guys!"

"Everyone, come out and say hi!"

Thirty two Pokeballs flying into the air, multiple flashes of light signaled the release of the titans that the prodigies of Pallet Town called their trusted and beloved partners. Behind each of them, standing tall and ready for battle were the Pokemon that were with them through thick and thin.

Behind Blue stood his mighty looking team at the ready, consisting of: Blastoise, Jolteon, Pidgeot, Alakazam, Arcanine, Exeggutor, Heracross, Tyranitar, Rhyperior, Beartic, Bisharp and Noivern.

Behind Leaf stood her own team of adorable and powerful Pokemon, comprised of: Venusaur, Wigglytuff, Gengar, Ninetales, Kangaskhan, Vaporeon, Milotic, Lopunny, Sigilyph, Emolga, Vivillon and Goodra.

And behind Red, his ever loyal companions were: Charizard, Pikachu, Blastoise, Venusaur, Snorlax, Espeon, Tyranitar, Hydregon and Flabébé still on his hat.

Roars and cries resounding loudly in the clearing, they quieted when they locked gazes with each other. For Leaf and Blue's teams, it had been a few months since they last saw each other, challenging and friendly smirking crossing their faces as they exchanged glances with each other. But it was when they turned to face Red and his party, eyes narrowed at the foreign Pokemon in front of them. A tense silence taking over the area, Leaf and Blue were a bit worried that the past ten years had erased the memories of battling against Red and his Pokemon from the minds of their partners, but that was a worry that wasn't warranted as Blastoise, Jolteon, Venusaur and Wigglytuff stepped forward as Charizard and Pikachu followed suit.

There they were once again, the starters and first Pokemon that belonged to each of the prodigies. During their childhood, even before they were trainers; Red, Blue and Leaf had Pokemon that were given to them by their parents. For Red, it was Pikachu. For Blue, it was Eevee. And for Leaf, it was Jigglypuff. They were the first partners that each of them had befriended and battled with far before they were official trainers, and that bond only grew over time. While each of the three were more known for their choice in their starters, it was their partners that truly defined who they were and were with them the longest. So, for the first time in nearly ten years, Blastoise, Jolteon, Venusaur and Wigglytuff were seeing their closest friends and rivals for the first time. Then, the tension finally broke as the four charged the two. Panic setting in, Leaf and Blue were about to shout and demand that their partners stop only to pause and smile fondly when they exchanged rather heated greetings.

Blastoise and Venusaur smacked Charizard across the back of his head, or tried at least in Blastoise's case as he wasn't able to use his arms or vines to reach the taller Pokemon's head. A sheepish expression crossing the fire-flying type's face, he was subjected to questioning by the two other starters who had been with him since the beginning, all three having hatched together at the same time.

As for Pikachu, he was instantly beset by a Double-Slap attack and Headbutt by both Wigglytuff and Jolteon. But after those attacks, he was embraced by Wigglytuff as the normal-fairy type squeezed him tightly. Off to the side, Jolteon was offering him a warm smile as they reconnected like their trainers did, having been together far longer then any one else in either of their parties.

Watching their starters and first Pokemon reconnect brought warm and fond smiles from the three, Leaf sniffling slightly while Blue was busy trying to rid his eyes of some dirt that was blown into them by a non-existent wind. Red merely watched the scene with gentle eyes as the other Pokemon moved to greet their old rivals while the newer additions got to know the missing Pokemon that were referenced time and time again by their companions when they talked about their most intense battles. As they watched their Pokemon connect with one another, Leaf and Blue turned and looked at their raven haired companion before their eyes fell to the two remaining Pokeballs on his waist. Red noticing their stares, he gained a serious glint to his eyes that were quickly mirrored by their own.

"...Promise me, you won't tell anyone." Red said in an equally serious tone, Leaf and Blue sharpening their gazes as they nodded their heads.

"No matter what happens, my best friends and family come first. I won't tell a soul."

"We trust you, Red. If you ask us not to tell, we won't."

Seeing the resolve and trust in the eyes of his childhood friends, Red's gaze softened considerably as he nodded softly. Taking the pair of Pokeballs, he released the two Pokemon carried in them as the eyes of his best friends quickly grew in size.

"What...?" Blue started as he saw the Pokemon that singlehandedly destroyed his entire team when he was a boy, the terrifying and bitter memories coming back to him as the psychic type moved to nuzzle against its trainer.

"Is that...?" Leaf finished as she stared at the purple mechanized looking Pokemon in front of her, the Pokemon being unlike anything she had seen before in both life and the printed page.

"Mewtwo and Genesect." Red answered the two as he moved to rub the heads of the two man-made Pokemon, getting soft sounds of content from the two as Leaf and Blue stared at the sight with wide eyes.

"What the hell have you been up to the last ten years?!" They shouted in unison as Red offered them a wry smile, the brows of the two twitching before the bastions of their self restraint finally broke.

"What the hell is up with you and your Pokemon, you freaks of natures?!"

"You're going to tell me everything, Red! Do you hear me, everything!"

With those cries of righteous fury, they lunged at and tackled the capped youth to the ground. The commotion drawing the attention of all of the gathered Pokemon, some gained angered and worried looks as they were about to move to intervene with the escalating situation. But, like they had always done in the past, the starters and first Pokemon of the three sighed and shared wry smiles as they allowed their trainers to vent their decade's worth of frustrations and anger, the six veterans simply taking a seat nearby the squabble as they watched Leaf and Blue struggle to forcibly pry the desired information from their best friend. Seeing that the most trusted and oldest partner Pokemon of the three weren't too concerned with what was happening, the twenty nine remaining Pokemon plopped down and watched the entertaining scene unfold in front of them, many of them beginning to cry and cheer for their respective trainer to emerge victorious.

On that fateful night, the three prodigies of Pallet Town were once again gathered in the same campsite, the shouts, screams and grunts that were leaving the mouths of three soon melting to laughs, snickers and playful jabs as the chaotic scene soon shifted to a comedic and comforting one; tears and smiles being shared on a night that the three of them wouldn't forget as long as the lived. A night were the three were simply, Red, Leaf and Blue, once more and nothing more.

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay ****awesome.**


	5. Chapter 5

"Red" - Person Talking

"_Red_" - Person Thinking

**"Red"** – Pokemon Talking

**"****_Red_****"** \- Pokemon Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go**

* * *

Requisition - Chapter 5

"For the last time, I don't have anyone like that! Those are just dumbass rumors, damn it!" Blue snapped at the smugly smiling young lady sitting across the fire pit from him, Leaf's expression only bringing more red to the face of the brunette as she turned to their other childhood friend.

"Don't believe him, Red. Rumor has it that Blue's been seeing someone from the Johto or Sinnoh region, but as to who it is, no one knows." Leaf stated in a matter of fact tone, Red staring at her in surprise before turning to look at his best friend in expectation as a visible twitch crossed his face.

"O-Oi, don't you fall for her lies, Red! Come'on! We've been pals for over twenty years! In the time that we've spent together, have we ever had any interest in anything besides Pokemon and battling?!" Blue asked the capped young man as Red blinking as he tilted his head slightly and pondered the question, Leaf losing her smug look as surprise and a bit of anxiety soon colored her face at the expression Red was sporting.

"We did talk about girls, once." Red finally said after a few seconds of pondering, both brunettes blinking as they found themselves fully surprised by the admission.

"Did we?"

"You did?"

"Mhmm. Remember when we camped out together after the Pokemon League? When we talked about how far we came during the year." Red said as Leaf gained a slightly anxious face, Blue's eyes lighting up as he delved back further then a decade to a moment that marked the last time he saw his best friend friend before he left for his decade of isolation.

(Flashback - Ten Years Ago)

(Scene Change - Pallet Town: Forest Outskirts)

"Ha... You couldn't have just let me have the Champion's title for at least a day, huh Red?" Blue quipped in a dry tone as he glanced towards the capped youth sitting beside him poking at the fire, Red shifting to look at Blue with a somewhat sullen look in his eyes.

"Sorry, Blue... I didn't know you were there." Red apologized in a deeply guilty manner, Blue wincing a bit before sighing and leaning back to rest on the palms of his hands.

"Come'on, the Champion should be looking like that, Red. You're making it seem like I'm the bad guy, here... It's been a wild ride, hasn't it? To think it's already been a year since we all left on our journeys." The brunette said in a soft and nostalgic tone, Red sharing the sentiment as he turned his crimson eyes to the campfire.

"What are you going to do now?" Red asked as his gaze remained on the fire, Blue pursing his lips as he contemplated the question.

"Not sure, you, Leaf and me are pretty much the top trainers in Kanto now, aren't we? Even if Leaf didn't head to the Pokemon League like we did, she did get all eight badges and we both know how tough she is. Even if other people don't think she's on our level, we both know that she is. Fact is, if we all stay here, we probably won't get any better." Blue stated as Red nodded upon hearing the truth in his words, the two settling into a comfortable silence as Blue glanced up towards the night sky.

"I think... I think I'll head out of Kanto. I'll go ahead and travel around, head to Johto and anywhere else that strong trainers and Pokemon might be. Course, once we all meet back up again, I'll be the one who'll be the strongest." The brunette said as he shot Red a challenging smirk, Red offering him a small smile as he turned to look at the sky as well.

"I want to go somewhere quiet, where I can train in peace." Red said in a longing and hopeful tone, Blue blinking before smirking as he thumped the other boy on the shoulder.

"Come'on, can't be a shy guy forever Red, how're you supposed to get a girl to like you at this rate?" Blue teased as Red froze before shifting to shoot the brunette a heated glare with a dusting of pink on his cheeks, Blue snickering before yelping as he felt the capped youth thump his forehead.

"Like you're one to talk. No girl will like a loud mouthed, show off like you, Blue." Red snapped in a slightly irritated manner, the two boys glaring at each other as they butted heads.

"Will too! My mom says that I'll be the most popular boy with all the girls when I grow up! Just so you know, I even had a few girls ask to hang out with me when I was traveling!" Blue snapped back in a heated manner as he pushed against the forehead of his rival, Red narrowing his eyes as he pushed back.

"I thought you said that you didn't care about girls?" Red asked in a haughty tone as Blue's brow twitched in annoyance, the two falling into another heated argument as Pikachu and Jolteon looked on in exasperation.

As the night drew on, the argument between the two boys grew more light hearted and softer as they laid on their sleeping bags. Red and Blue with Pikachu and Jolteon, the four shared soft and fond smiles as they simply basked in the presence and company of their rivals and childhood friends. Silence soon taking hold as they watched the star filled skies with shining eyes full of wonder, the soft cries of distant Pokemon filling in the gaps that the voices of the two left. That amiable and light silence was broken Blue turned towards Red, curiosity and intrigue coloring his eyes.

"Say Red, what do you think Leaf is doing right now?" Blue asked as his thoughts drifted towards the brunette who turned down their invitation to camp together, Red furrowing his brow slightly as he tried to recall her answer.

"Mmm... I think she said that she wanted to sleep in a real bed for at least a month before camping again." Red answered in a confused manner, Blue sighing as he returned his gaze skyward.

"She's still the same drama queen, even after a year on the road. Did you know that she never even camped out by choice? Every time she did, she had to because there wasn't a Pokemon Center or hotel for her to sleep in. Sheesh, why even bother traveling if you can't handle the wild, huh?" Blue said in an offhand manner, Red turning to look at him with a slightly dry look as the brunette instantly felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand.

"Daisy told me that you were singing a song about sleeping in your bed when you got back from traveling." Red stated dryly as Blue gained a deep shade of crimson on his cheeks, opting to remain silent as he silently cursed his older sister for her loose lips.

Silence taking over, the two stared at each other in silence before grins soon broke out on their faces. Laughter following quickly after, the pair spent the rest of the night simply chatting and catching up with one another, unaware that it would be the last night that they would see each other for the decade coming.

(Flashback - End)

(Scene Change - Unova: Route 6 - Red's Campsite)

"Oh yeah... I guess that counted, huh?" Blue quipped as he rubbed his chin in thought, Leaf letting loose a breath of relief as she scooted closer to her raven haired companion to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Glad to know that you two are still as dense and dull as ever." Leaf added as Blue turned to give her a blank stare, Leaf opting to simply stare at him in silence whilst snuggling deeper into Red.

"What do you two think tomorrow is going to be like?" Red asked the pair as he was still in the dark about the happenings of the Pokemon World Tournament, Blue and Leaf breaking their minor staring contest as they turned to look at their raven haired friend in confusion.

"You really don't know, Red? Man, you really have been gone a decade." Blue said with a light chuckle, Leaf giggling as well when she caught sight of the small and unamused pout that soon marred his face.

"I'll say, Blue! Hehe, remember the look on his face when we told him that some of his Pokemon could evolve again? That was so priceless, I wish I had my camera!" Leaf added as the two started laughing a bit harder at their dear friend, Red's pout growing as did the blush that slowly spread across his face at their teasing.

"Aww, come'on Red! We're just teasing you, hehe!" Leaf threw in with a coy tone while poking his cheek, the crimson eyed young man turning his head away from her as the brunette's simply continued to laugh even harder at him before his lid finally blew.

"Haha, right, right! S-Sorry, sorry! It's just, it's been a while since we've been able to rile you up, you know? Just had to take a moment and enjoy it again for old time's sake! Guh!" Blue half snickered and half cried out as Red had him in a headlock, the raven haired young man's pout only deepening as he tightened the hold he had on Blue.

"Gah! C-Come'on Red, can't you take a joke!? Don't tell me you still petty lik-U-Uncle! Uncle!" Blue cried out as Red slipped his arm underneath the other man's, locking him in a standing triangle choke as Leaf and Blue began to panic seeing that he still had a short and silent fuse.

"R-Red! S-Stop that! Blue's turning blue! W-We'll tell you, so stop!" Leaf pleaded as she tried to pull his arms off of Blue, her concern cracking a bit when she saw him direct his childish pout at her with slightly moist eyes.

The two unsuccessfully wrestling to free Blue from the grasp of the raven haired young man, they were completely gobsmacked by the sheer strength that he was currently displaying. In their youth, Leaf was the one who was known as the most physically capable, many having bore witness to her dragging both Red and Blue around by their arms with little difficulty. But even using all of her strength, Leaf was just barely able to pry Red's arms from around Blue's neck, her brunette companion taking the momentary gap to wriggle and slip his head free from the other man's hold.

With Blue freeing himself, he staggered a step away from Red while taking precious gulps of air, rubbing his neck as Leaf patted him on the back to help ease his breathing. After a few seconds, the brunettes turned to see the expectant and unamused face of their raven haired companion, a wry laugh leaving their mouths as they sat him down to explain the finer details of the tournament.

"Basically, the first day is to weed out the chumps, like that punk that you battled. After that, it's all named battles; which are basically battles between the top trainers from the region: Gym Leaders, Elite Four, Champions, you get it. But the catch is, it's region against region." Blue started before chuckling a bit at Red's starry eyed expression, the brunette hoping and praying that his childhood friend's expectations wouldn't be dashed by his skull and team.

"Mhmm! And since it's region against region, it's kind of like a team tournament of sorts! The region with the most points will be awarded a trophy and photo in the International Hall or Fame, which we already know you don't care about." Leaf added as Red shook his head in the negative, completely uninterested in the trophy and fame that the winning region would earn.

"As for the battles themselves, they are all chosen at random. They could be singles, doubles, triples, full party, rotation, tag, trios; it all depends on luck, the battle type and who you're going to pair up with, to both battle and partner." Blue continued as Red nodded his head eagerly, already beginning to calculate and plan for the various new battle styles that had emerged over the decade.

"And don't worry about not battling either of us, Red! The last week of the Pokémon World Tournament is the true tournament! The trainers from each region will compete in a no holds barred battle festival! And the top trainers will battle the others top trainers from the other regions to decide the World Champion! That's when I'll get you back for when we were kids!" Leaf finished as Red had a shining light to his eyes, his best friends laughing heartily at his childish expression as they relished the company of the raven haired young man.

An amiable atmosphere taking hold of the area, the trio were joined by their Pokemon as Leaf and Blue debriefed the crimson eyed young man about the other notable trainers of the various other regions. As they spoke, Leaf and Blue couldn't help but feel a shiver dance down their spines at the way Red's eyes seemed to dilate the more he heard of the prowess and ability of not just the other trainers but the Pokemon that they called their partners. It wasn't a sight that they were used to or had even seen before, not even the competitive spark that burned in his eyes when he was younger compared to the predatory glint that his eyes gained as they caught him up on what he had missed during his decade of solitude.

But as soon as they rather unnerving and terrifying glint came, it vanished when the raven haired man blinked, Leaf and Blue blinking themselves when they lost sight of it. Taking a moment to head to his bedside to secure a few snacks for his friends, Red missed the worried and somewhat frightened look that Leaf was sending his way. At the same time, Blue had a slight grimace as he debated sharing what Red had confided to him with the other brunette, the man having to bite his lower lip slightly to avoid breaking the promise he had made with the other man.

"_Red... W-What was that...? Y-You... You've never looked that scary before, not even when we were battling against Giovanni's organization... What happened to you...?_"

"_Damn it, Red... I know that you can't remembered everything that happened up there, but what the hell happened to you? You... You've never had that look to you, not even when we were on our last legs against Team Rocket..._"

With worried thoughts concerning their childhood friend, Leaf and Blue did their best to shelve the growing distress that they were feeling about the mental state of the raven haired young man. A decade alone, barring one's Pokemon, would affect anyone no matter how mental fortitude they might have had. And while they didn't doubt the willpower that Red had, even he must have a breaking point, a point which the pair desperately hoped he hadn't reached during his time alone on Mt. Silver. While they were worried, they pushed those worries to the back of their minds when he returned with a small assortment of marshmallows, berries, chocolate and biscuits; instantly standing at the ready as Red was no doubt preparing for his single greatest invention while they were on the road in their youths.

"I-Is that..."

"I-It can't be..."

Came the stunned voices of Leaf and Blue, the eyes of the two wide and full of disbelief, drool slowly began to dribble from the corners of their mouths as Red offered them a small but warm smile at the nostalgic sight before him. Long ago, whilst they were still children, the three had met by coincidence just as they were starting out their journeys. It was at that time that Red was the only one truly capable of anything related to the culinary arts, something that he would forever be grateful to his mother for. During that time, it was then that Red unveiled his greatest creation, a s'more the likes of which the world had never witnessed. It was on that day, that the 'Rawst Berry S'Morescake' was unveiled upon the world. Or at least upon the two lucky souls that had the sole pleasure of savoring it.

"Snack time." Was all Red said with a slightly wry smile when he saw the tears that were nearly spilling from the eyes of Leaf and Blue, the smile of crimson eyed young man growing even more wry when the Pokemon that they owned who had also sampled it followed the example of their trainers.

Then, like time and time again, the three settled in for a night of laughter, snacking and chatting; Leaf and Blue leading a majority of the conversation while Red would chime in every now and again. And before they knew it, sleep had taken hold of the trainers and their Pokemon with her gentle hands, the trio recalling their trusted partners before climbing into their sleeping bags and tents. Before long, light snores started echoing through the clearing as peace settled over the area, the ambient sounds of the forest making the area even more serene. Though, in the midst of that peace, there was a darkness that soon took hold of a certain young man, the profusely sweating and quietly panting form of Red being seen a short distance away as he rested his shaking form against a tree a safe distance away from the campsite.

Once again, the raven haired man had managed to slip away from his beloved friends without any of them noticing, something that he had honed to an art during his decade on Mt. Silver; where a single muffled crunch of shoe on snow would attract a pack of Sneasel or colony of Golbat. Slowly, Red managed to ease his panting, slowing his breathing as he tried to calm his shaking body. Letting his eyes close, he let the back of his head rest on the trunk of the tree he was resting against, having been woken by the same memory plaguing him for the past nine years.

(Flashback - Red's Memory)

There he was, on the summit of Mt. Silver or at least what remained of it, his beloved partners laid before him with various wounds covering their bodies. Even Red himself had a number of wounds on his person, the largest being a slash-like wound that crossed diagonally across his chest, the boy's body already beginning to fail with the amount of blood that he had lost. Never before had he faced something even remotely as dangerous as the situation that he was currently in, a situation that he had so childishly presumed was a dream based on just how ludicrous it was.

It had been just a few months, perhaps seven if Red was keeping track correctly, since he had finally reached the summit of Mt. Silver, something that still amazed and surprised the crimson eyed youth. While the trek had been a grueling and dangerous one, Red nearly having met his end by a pair of warring Steelix, it was a rewarding one as he had finally found a place where him and his partners would be challenged on a constant and daily basis, a place that was quiet and away from people. While the crimson eyed boy didn't have a problem with other people, the fact that he grew extremely shy and quiet around new faces was something that he doubted he would overcome anytime soon, so he did the only logical thing that a boy his age would do and that was go somewhere without people.

While he had written and left a letter for his mother and father, Red was still rather guilty about not telling them in person, though he was absolutely sure that his mother would have had her Dragonite and Nidoqueen capture him and confine him to his room. Knowing the power that the two held, he doubted that even his team at full strength would be enough to break free from their clutches, so he took the easier but rather cowardly way out and left without alerting his family in person. But the boy pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind when something strange happened, something that would forever haunt the boy as the sky seemed to warp and rend, as if it were water. Then, it happened, a tear or hole appeared in the air.

His eyes growing wide, Red quickly released his Pokemon as they readied themselves for whatever it was that was causing their trainer such distress. Soon enough, they themselves gained an equal amount of distress when a number of figures broke free from the portal in the sky, landing onto the summit as a heavy tremor rocked the area. Staring with wide eyes, Red and his team were completely speechless as they stared at the creatures in front of them, all of them even more alien then Mewtwo, who they had parted with just before heading to Mt. Silver. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Red shakily reached for his Pokedex before snapping to try and disclose what the unknown Pokemon before him were, his tension, anxiety and worries only compounding when, like Mewtwo, there was no data on the alien Pokemon.

The first seemed to resemble a jellyfish, though it wasn't related to the Tentacool line based on how it was floating in the air. Its bell is semi-translucent and encircled with several white, star-shaped markings. The wavy rim of its bell flared outward, being a bright blue. Its tentacles appeared gelatinous and gave it a strangely humanoid shape, something that seriously unnerved Red. Several tentacles seemed to mesh together to form the appearance of a cape or long hair, while four shorter tentacles resembled hair and arms, with two longer tentacles making up the legs of its human-like shape.

The second resembled a large, anthropomorphic mosquito, it was kind of like an oversized and sun burnt, Heracross, if Red squinted really hard. Its head was small and flat with a black ridge running up the center. It had two red compound eyes with two black, spherical basal joints for its red and black antennae resting between the optical organs. Protruding from under those joints was a long, silver proboscis. It had many bulging muscles that appeared to be sacs full of red fluid with small white bubbles inside, something that made Red nervous with his hidden fear of needles. There were three sacs on each arm, two on each leg, two on its chest, and several on its shoulders and down its back. Around its waist were three rings of smaller sacs. The muscles on its chest and some on its arms and waist had thin, grayish lines like looked like tendons running across them. It had large, five-fingered hands with red knuckles and four pointed legs, the thing that really set it apart from having any relation the Heracross or Pinsir lines. There were several black spikes dotting its body: a small one on each side of its head, two on each shoulder, one on each elbow, and one on each leg. The portions of its body between its muscles were a dark red and black. And resting on its back were two pairs of pale orange wings with slightly darker veins, which Red assumed were vestigial based on the Pokemon's weight and how thin the wings were.

The third was a very tall Pokemon that vaguely resembled a humanoid mass of electrical wiring. Its "head" was a white, brightly glowing electric spark with numerous points and no visible face. Below its head was a mass of black cables for its torso and limbs; a number of white bands resembling zip ties lining running across its body. Its arms had ties where its shoulders, elbows, and wrists would be. The upper arms had two cables, while the lower had three. At the ends of its arms were what looked like copper structures that resemble hands, each with six flat "fingers". Its legs had ties at the hips, knees, and ankles and were composed of four cables fused together that made up the length. Its feet had four toes possessing "claws" also made of exposed copper; each foot having two fused toes pointing forward and two separate toes pointing back. Finally, its tail had three ties and four cables, one of them appearing loose in two sections, ending in what resembled a three-pronged plug. Red had absolutely no idea what this thing could even be related to, based on how absurdly alien it appeared.

The fourth had a bodily construction that resembled a cross between a space shuttle and bamboo shoot. It had a small, white head with a tiny mouth and a skinny neck with three segments. On top of its head was a gray structure resembling a hat with long, flowing hair underneath. Its hair reached midway down its body and was rimmed with a bright blue coloration. Its "hat" had two small blue dots and four white spikes arranged in an X-shape. Those spikes resembled a decorative hair pin that Red had seen on TV with some women in kimono. On the very top of its "hat" was a long gray horn similar to a drill. It had large, disembodied gray arms that resembled bamboo stalks. At the end of each arm a ring of bright blue, fin-like projections and a collection of smaller, black bamboo shoots. Each smaller stalk having a bright blue ring with a small line extending back up the stalk. Its main body was conical and resembled a dress with four overlapping layers. The shortest and outermost layer being the shortest and appeared metallic, while the inner layers were each a lighter shade of green, growing progressively longer, and seem to be made of a cloth or plant material. Underneath all the layers was a white body with a light gray crisscrossing pattern covering it and a bright blue ring along the base. Below that dress was what appeared to be a collection of six black bamboo stalks, the bottom of each stalk being a bright blue ring with a small line extending back up the stalk; making the stalks resemble rocket boosters.

The fifth was a tiny Pokemon that resembled a shikigami. It appeared to be made out of a folded sheet of paper which was white on one side and red on the other. Its head was folded slightly inside its body and had a four-sided star in the center, though it didn't have any facial features. On top of its head were two short antennae or horns that were wider at the top. It had long, thin arms that resembled katanas with a yellow, sheath-like structure around the upper area. That sheath-like structure connected to a red, slightly raised hexagon resting on its torso. Extending up and out from the base of each of those sheathes were three yellow projections that were nearly as long as its arms. Its legs appeared creased with areas of red visible along the edges.

The sixth was a massive, black Pokemon. Its main body was primarily spherical with a large, yellow mouth in the center. The top and bottom of its mouth were lined with two rows of teeth; the front row being yellow, while the rear row was black. In the second row of the upper jaw, two teeth curved out of its mouth similar to tusks. The inside of its mouth was a bright blue and its throat was lined with small spikes; its tongue also being lined with spikes. Additional "tongues," at least Red assumed they were tongues since they were coming out its mouth, that resembled long arms with pincers protruded from its lower jaw, being visible even when its mouth was closed. Just above its mouth laid two glowing, blue eyes with a yellow, diamond-shaped marking between them. Above its eyes were a single, bat-like wing with yellow running along the upper edge. There are other small bat-like wings running down the side of its body as well. On the underside of its body were three, fin-like projections that curved up towards its mouth. Supporting its body were a pair of thick legs, which had yellow zigzag markings across the knees and three claws. On top of its body was a small, conical head with a second, smaller pair of glowing blue eyes. Four short horns with yellow tips formed a ring around its head. On either side of its head being a larger, slightly curved horn also tipped in yellow. There were also a pair of small arms on top of its body. Each arm having a hand with three yellow tipped claws. A row of small spikes trailing down its back and along its tail, the tail itself extended from the center of its back and resembled a spiked club of sorts.

The seventh was a Pokemon that seemed to be composed of many dark gray stone stacked together to form a four-sided tower with spindly legs on each corner. The stones that formed the legs and top corners were slightly darker then the rest. When at rest, its legs looked to fit into the corners of the structure, though the stones blocks making them up seemed to move independently as it started moving and testing its footing. The lighter gray stones that made up its body seemed to have glowing blue lines on their sides, which are visible along the edges and underside of the Pokemon. It was only when it turned its attention to Red that the youth saw that each stone block had a black underside with a circular, glowing blue eye in the center. But after a few seconds of focusing on him and his Pokemon, those blue eyes shifted to a deep red coloration.

The eighth was humanoid Pokemon resembling a more colorful Mr. Mime, though it was a lot more alien. Its slender torso and wide hips were yellow with alternating blue and pink stripes. There was a white sphere in the middle of its body and another on its back in place of a tail. It had thin arms with white frills on its wrists and teardrop-shaped hands. The right arm was pink, while the left was blue. Each arm had a spherical bulge near the shoulder, its legs shaped like white high-heeled boots with curled toes. Each foot had a sphere on it: blue on the left and pink on the right. Around its neck was a white frill with a hole in the center. The most defining thing about the Pokemon was that it's "head" was a white ball with a multitude of pink and blue dots, which seemed to be a collection of tiny sparks. On either side of the ball were stars that are blue on the outside, pink on the inside, and had a yellow dot in the center. But it was then the Pokemon removed its head and rolled it along its arms that Red really started to freak out about it, likening it to a Voltorb or Electrode with arms and legs.

The ninth was a Pokemon that had both draconic and insectoid features. It was a large creature, its upper body being slender with thin arms and a long neck. Its upper chest, neck, head, and arms were a light purple, while its waist was dark purple with a fuchsia stripe on each side. Each shoulder had a long gray spike, with each hand having three pinkish purple claws. Running down each side of its neck was a dark purple stripe, which connected with and formed a loop on its chest. The lower area of the loop was fuchsia and had a short, downward extension in the middle. At the end of its neck rested its head, which had a long, spiked crest on the top. On the sides of its mouth were a pair of curved, gray spikes that resembled mandibles. Its glowing cyan eyes were conjoined and rimmed with fuchsia, having a spiky crest on either side which gave them a visor-like appearance. A pair of light purple wings sprouted from the center of its back. These wings had a single fuchsia claw at the joint, two spikes running along the wing-arm, and dark purple membranes with fuchsia markings resting near the spikes. The lower half of the Pokeon's body resembled a swollen wasp's abdomen, being covered in stripes of light and dark purple and had three hollow stingers at the tip. The stingers were gray and had a fuchsia marking around them. The largest stinger being in the center with the other two, which were considerably smaller, sit on either Pokemon was the one that Red was most wary of, the needles that were its stingers setting off alarm bells in his mind.

The tenth and final Pokemon was one that resembled an anthropomorphic, feminine cockroach. It had a white upper body that slowly shifted to a black lower body, the Pokemon having a thin build. Its torso was composed of five thin discs that drooped slightly downwards. The widest disc made up its shoulders, which were white. The second widest were its hips, which were black. And the two smallest were chest and waist, which were white and gray. There is a gray ovoid inside of the widest disc, where its long, thin neck protruded from. Its arms and legs were also long and thin with gray joints. Its hands and feet are both composed of two gray claws. The Pokemon had a small, semi-flattened head with a gray, crown-like structure on top. The two tallest points of the crown pointed towards its long, thin antennae, which were white with small gray balls at the tips. Attached to the back of its head are two structures resembling insect wings, the wings being transparent and curved slightly inward. Each wing nearly touching the ground. It had narrow, purple eyes with bright blue pupils. Red was a bit less wary of this Pokemon compared to the rest with how apathetic it look, though that changed when it was suddenly staring unflinchingly at him.

Gulping, he slid his foot back as his team stood strong and ready by his side, the Pokemon tense with beads of sweat covering their bodies at the power and pressure that the foreign Pokemon before them exerted. Red soon noticed that the space around them started to shift as well, what was once the pristine and snow covered summit of Mt. Silver had become a mixture of snow, earth and space; the young man growing fearful as he noticed that the rift in the sky seemed to have swallowed them while he was examining the unknown Pokemon before him and his team. Then all hell finally broke loose when the opposing Pokemon all let out roars of confusion and anger, charging down Red and his party. Instantly, Charizard and Pikachu shielded their trainer, the jellyfish-like Pokemon seeming to aim solely for the crimson eyed trainer as it slipped past its companions. His maw filling with flame, Charizard let loose a hellish Flamethrower that seemed to merely irritate the Pokemon as it let loose a strange cry, turning as the bulb of its head seemed to absorb and distort the light entering it before it fired the light in an amplified manner at the fire-flying type.

The beam impacting, a roar of absolute agony left the maw of the orange Pokemon as Charizard was blown backwards. Pikachu taking his place, his own cheeks began surging with an ominous amount of lightning, the yellow mouse racing forward as the others followed behind while Red checked on his dear friend. A cry of anger leaving his mouth, Pikachu let loose a terrifying Thunder attack that connected with and began frying the jellyfish-like Pokemon, the Pokemon letting loose a shrill cry as it started thrashing about. But Pikachu's victory was short-lived as the walking bundle of wires and cables intercepted and greedily gorged on the electricity being fed to it, the mouse Pokemon being sent careening to the side when the paper-like Pokemon tackled him with white streaks shrouding its body.

A cry leaving Pikachu's mouth, the mouse Pokemon grit his teeth as he righted himself in the air, his cheeks letting loose small sparks as he narrowed his eyes on the ten opposing Pokemon. Locking eyes with his teammates, he nodded as Snorlax ran towards and tackled the Pokemon resembling a bundle of wires, lifting it slightly before jumping and letting gravity enhance his Body Slam. With his main annoyance out of the way, Pikachu let a loud cry as he loosed a large scale Thunder Wave, cracking a grin when a number of the attacking Pokemon began to jerk and jolt with small sparks dancing on their bodies. His feat was trounced, however, when the feminine bug-like Pokemon appeared beside him, all eyes wide with how absurd the Pokemon's speed was.

Light green shrouding its body, the Pokemon lunged towards Pikachu as a cry of pain left his mouth at the heavy blow, the mouse thinking that even Bruno's Machamp's strongest attack just stopped short of matching its power. As the yellow mouse was sent flying back, his body was caught by Venusaur and the timely use of his vines. The grass-poison type glaring at the apathetic expression on their most recent attacker while gathering the light of the sun, quickly letting loose a large scale Solar Beam that was just quick enough to catch the roach-like Pokemon off guard. A cry leaving its mouth, the beam carried it until it collided with the face of the mountain, a small tremor rocking the area as the large black Pokemon and red mosquito-like Pokemon let their intent to join battle known to them all.

An orange glow shrouding their arms, the larger black colored Pokemon swing the empowered appendage towards Venusaur while the red one rushed down Snorlax as he was sent stumbling off of the walking bundle of wires when an electrified fist struck him in the face. The two were within arm's reach only to flinch and cry out when a heavy Ice Beam from Blastoise ripped across the body of the black colored one while a raging inferno swallowed the form of the red one, courtesy of Charizard. The fire and water types letting feral grins spread as their attack seemed to be highly effective against the opposing Pokemon, the morale of their teammates rose as they charged at the remaining attacker. Only Eevee was left by Red's side, the tiny Pokemon shivering heavily from both the cold and the hostile threats that were attacking her and her new family. A fearful cry left her mouth when she saw the clown-like Pokemon roll off its head before tossing it at her and her trainer. But, that fear for her own safety turned to fear for her trainer's as Red wrapped her up in his arms and turned away from the approaching head. Her fears were only realized then the approaching head ruptured, a heavy explosion rocking the area as Red let out a shout of pain as his right side was caught in the explosion whilst shielding Eevee.

That sound and the sight that followed, the eyes of Red's Pokemon all widened as they took in the injured form of their trainer. Panting, they saw him shakily use his forearm to brace himself as he forced his body to rise despite the pain most likely tearing through him at the moment. With the red eyed youth, he was more worried of Eevee and any injuries that she might've sustained during the blast; Red thanking the heavens that it was much less powerful then a Self-Destruct or Explosion, the youth making a mental note that the clown-like Pokemon was reeling as if it was affected by some form of recoil from the attack. Seeing that, Red took a breath to help ease his frazzled nerves, his tension melting while his Pokemon rushed to his side.

Following the example of their foes, the attacking Pokemon regrouped as well, though all present could see the reluctance and disdain that they held for each other reflected in their eyes. Then came the small spark of electricity that danced on the bodies of all but the walking bundle of wires, seeing those affected by the paralysis wince and grimace at the debilitating ailment. The sight brought a small ray of hope to the otherwise disastrous situation that Red and his Pokemon found themselves in, the boy nodding as he rose and stood tall with his team rallying behind him at his show of confidence. Turning to look at them, he nodded as his partners let out cries and roars of confidence as they charged forward. Taking a lungful of air, Charizard let loose a large scale Fire Spin that consumed the forms of the ten foreign Pokemon in a twister of flame. Snorlax had a pale blue pulse come off his body as he released a Fire Spin of his own, having used Mimic to copy it from his fellow teammate, to help add to and compound the effect of the flaming tornado as numerous distorted cries of agony sounded from within the raging flames.

With the attackers immobilized, Red awaited the actions of those who weren't resistant to fire type attacks, his team following as they waited for their chance to strike as the forms of the jellyfish, the walking mouth, purple dragon wasp and clown tore through the spiraling inferno with negligible burns on their bodies. Seeing them unaffected, the others readied themselves as they followed their trainer's silent command and unleashed a volley of attacks that were effective against those who's typing gave them an advantage against fire. Already, Blastoise had locked onto the form of the black colored Pokemon and purple wasp dragon, letting loose a roar of power as he let loose a wide spread Blizzard that instantly stopped the advancing forms of the two, Red letting a more confident glint shine in his eyes as his deduction that they were some form of dragon proved to be true. Shooting a quick glance to his trainer, Blastoise saw Red incline his head slightly as the water type let his mouth close, training his cannons on the two as he focused a pair of Ice Beams on the chilled dragons that began to encase the two in ice.

Whilst Blastoise, Charizard and Snorlax were holding off a majority of the invaders; there was still the jellyfish and clown to take care off, and Red was still at a loss as to what exactly their typing was. But seeing as they were moving with a bit of difficulty due to the debilitating electricity coursing through their bodies and the fact that he still had half of his team to deal with them, Red wasn't as worried as he was at the start of the encounter. Pikachu acted next, speeding towards the two with a Quick Attack to test the bodies of the pair of fire resistant attackers. Aiming for the clown first, the mouse Pokemon lunged at its midsection with the intent of knocking the wind out of it, but Pikachu simply passed through it like he did the first time Red and himself encountered the Gastly and Haunter of the Pokemon Tower. Seeing his teammate phase through the body of the clown, Venusaur winced but nonetheless charged forward, the flower of the grass-poison type shaking as a dense cloud of somniferous pollen was loosed onto the still advancing form of the clown, the Pokemon unable to escape the dense and large cloud of Sleep Powder as it slowed before collapsing with soft cries leaving form.

Righting himself, Pikachu managed to use the rest of his momentum to springboard off of the ground, striking the jellyfish right in the bulb that made up its head. But as he both dreaded and had hoped for, it felt like striking solid rock as Pikachu grit his teeth at the pain the impact caused him. Though painful, the fact that they had ascertained the typing of the jellyfish more then made up for it, Venusaur moving as he secured both the sleeping clown with his vines and Pikachu, bringing his teammate over to rest on his head. The duo then moved to deal with the most troublesome of the invaders, Pikachu wincing as the attack from the roach-like Pokemon from earlier combined with the rather jarring impact with the jellyfish affected him more then thought.

Seeing that, Venusaur wasted no time as he let loose a Leech Seed that was intended to incapacitate the advancing Pokemon. But to the shock and horror of everyone on the field, the jellyfish turned and let loose a spray of purple colored acid that melted the airborne seeds, not even sparing the wide eyed Pokemon staring it down a second glance as it rushed down their defenseless trainer. Roars and cries of complete and utter terror, fear, rage, heartbreak and panic leaving the mouths of his Pokemon, Red felt Eevee attempting to free herself to stop the advancing Pokemon, the eyes of the raven haired youth softening as he gave her a reassuring squeeze. The action causing her to freeze, Eevee stiffly craned her head to stare at her trainer as tears began to make their way to the corners of her eyes, those tears finally falling when she felt him toss her away to safety as the jellyfish impacted with and carried off her trainer.

Completely focused on the sight of their beloved trainer being taken, Red's Pokemon were left wide open for a counter attack that happened with complete and utter impunity. Charizard and Snorlax were sent careening back with a combined assault from the invaders who they had trapped within their combined Fire Spin, being ruthlessly assaulted with a number of powerful and rending blows. The larger of the insectoid Pokemon was slugging and throwing around Snorlax as the normal type tried to endure the blows by hardening his body, his use of Harden doing little when exposed to such a heavy and relentless assault.

For Charizard, the fire-flying type was being attacked on all sides by the four invaders who seemed dead-set on revenge. Gritting his teeth, he did his best to endure the electricity tearing through his body as the walking bundle of wires let its attacks fly free with Charizard being held down by the walking stack of bricks. A cry did leave his maw when the rocket bamboo ship charged an orange sphere of energy before letting it loose on the wings of the downed Pokemon, pain like no other coursing through his body as his wings were practically crippled and ruined by the ruthless attack. The final Pokemon attacking the downed fire-flying type was the moving piece of origami, slicing the downed Pokemon across its ruined wings to ensure that it never flew again.

Blastoise was sent flying back with a cry of agony when the walking mouth let loose a large orange and red fireball while the purple dragon wasp fired a multicolored beam of energy, a heavy explosion rocking the area as his battered and shattered form could be seen struggling to rise. But he was sent back into the ground when a orange clad arm slammed onto the back of his shell, a horrible crack sounding as a roar of agony left his jaws, rising an octave as the purple dragon wasp let loose spray of purple poison from its stinger, letting it seep into the exposed wounds of the turtle Pokemon as strength began to fade from his body.

Venusaur and Pikachu were about to move and aid their dear friends when the head of the supposedly sleeping clown rolled towards them, the two too panicked and pumped full of adrenaline to notice it before it was too late. The offending head began to glow before enveloping the two in a heavy explosion. Their combined cries sounding through the area, they only increased in intensity when the clown indiscriminately unleashed a number of Fire Blast, blanketing the area as a few other were caught up in the crossfire. Soon enough, even the invaders were battling among each other, Red's team making use of the distraction as they tried dragging their bodies to save their trainer.

As for Red, the pain he felt when Giovanni tried killing him and his team when they had battled in Silph Co. was something the boy wished that he could be experiencing, the agony coursing through him currently being absolute hell. The moment the Pokemon went and latched onto his head, Red's mind began to get hazy while his body slowing down. Based on his past experiences, the crimson eyed youth had assumed that he had been poisoned by the jellyfish, though the effects of the toxins coursing through his body beginning to affect him greatly as they started to cause the youth to forcibly bring his most painful memories to the forefront of his mind. Then a scream of pain left the mouth of the boy as he was lifted into the air by the jellyfish, the parasitic Pokemon beginning a horrible transformation, using its newfound host's body as a medium.

In its' newly merged state, the bell of the jellyfish lost its stars, developing several iridescent spots across its surface. Red's body was visible within the bell with his legs dangling beneath it, his struggling becoming less and less so as the toxins coursing through his body seemed to be pacifying his adrenaline fueled state. Its eight tentacles had become long and flattened, having numerous deep black spots with various colored diamond-shapes inside. Four of the tentacles were connected to the bell with a number of white structures; those tentacles having four spines protruding from them that bore a resemblance to a hand-like structure. The remaining four tentacles all terminated in a single larger spine. Having successfully taken over its host, or at least as far as it was able to given its current state, the merged jellyfish knocked away the approaching Pokemon as they called out to their trainer, their efforts to rescue Red doubling when they saw it rake its claws across his chest as he tried to struggle once more. Seeing those rivers of crimson run down his body, rage was but an understatement as to what they were feeling towards the hateful creature floating above them.

But no matter what, they would not raise a hand towards their trainer. No matter how much this merged creature would strike them, harm them, wound them; as long as it bore the face of their trainer, the same trainer who held them, tended their wounds, caressed their heads, shared food with them, they would not strike it. Even as it snapped what was left of Charizard's wings, he did not cry in pain, simply calling out in anguish as he tried to reach his trainer. Even when his brittle shell was splintered and his cannons broken, Blastoise defiantly called for his trainer to awake and command them to strike back. Even when his flower was shredded and his trunk gouged, Venusaur merely absorbed what little light the distorted area supplied as he tried to fuel his body to reach his trainer. Even when his arm and leg were broken, Snorlax did not retaliate, forcing himself up time and time again as he was knocked down, all to wrap his beloved trainer in a warm and loving hug like they had done everytime a battle was finished. Even when he could not move, Pikachu mustered what strength he could as he used his chin to pull himself towards his trainer, not once letting even a spark fly even as he was thrown away time and time again.

No matter what they had to endure; pain, humiliation, agony, the Pokemon who the young man had raised and cared for refused to do harm to him. Instead, they were repressing and collecting all of that building rage and hatred for when they freed their beloved trainer, intent on returning everything that they had to endure back to the invaders with interest. So, for now, they simply endured. Watching them all, struggling to rise herself, was Eevee. She had never been strong. She should have never even survived, having been the runt of her mother's litter. Once she was able to walk, she had been alone; scrounging and scavenging just to survive the harsh forests that rested at the foot of Mt. Silver. When an encounter with a herd of Ursaring and Teddiursa turned to a life and death game of cat and mouse, Eevee had finally resigned herself to the fate of becoming prey, merely closing her eyes as she awaited the clawed arm that was set to end her life. But then he came, the light of her world and the one that she loved more then anything else.

Having saved her and seen her at her weakest and most pathetic state, she had expected him to mock her, harm her, belittle her, just like the countless others before him had. But he did none of that, gently kneeling towards her and picking her up like she was the most fragile and valuable thing in the world. It was at that moment, she had found love and a family that had eluded her for the better part of her life; a family and love that she would do anything for. And so, for what she was bearing witness to; the pain and tears that filled the eyes of her big brothers, the ones who she had thought were invincible and unbeatable, the way her beloved trainer was utterly helpless as he was being used as a shield and vessel for the wretched creature wrapped around his body like it belonged to it, Eevee had enough of it. Snapping her eyes closed, she let out a fierce and powerful cry as she forced her quivering body to stand.

Biting back the tears that desperately wanted to fall with how painful it was to merely stand, she craned her head to the sight of her big brothers in states that would have made her want to die then and there, all of them quiet expect for the grunts that left them as they forced their broken and battered bodies past their limits and the calls that were loosed to reach the ears of their trainer. How? How could she be crying and complaining about being sore and hurt when Charizard's wings were a mangled mess of bone, muscle and sinew? When Blastoise's shell and cannons were cracked and shattered? When Venusaur's trunk and flower were in shreds? When Snorlax had the muscle and bone of his arm and leg exposed to the biting wind? When Pikachu was using his chin to drag himself forward as his arms and legs wouldn't move? There wasn't a thing Eevee could think of that would justify giving up, not when the others were in far worse shape. So, she did as they did, grit her teeth and muster her strength to stand tall and reach out towards her trainer.

It was then that it finally happened, a desperate cry leaving her as her body was bathed with a brilliant white light. The eyes of her brothers widening, they turned towards her and watched as her metamorphosis took place, the light fading quickly as her new form stood tall and proud. Espeon, with her eyes closed, let her senses flow as a new source of power welled up inside of her. Those same eyes snapped open and focused on the form of her trainer and the jellyfish responsible for take him, a rich blue glow emanating from her eyes as the merged Pokemon instantly froze. Confusion taking hold of it, soon sounds of desperation sounded from it as it tried to break free from the psychic lock that Espeon had placed it under. Still watching with wide eyes were the other Pokemon of Red's party, unable to believe that their cute little sister had gained such power in such a short amount of time.

Proud, they shared looks before letting loose roars and cries, forcing their bodies past the absolute limit that was physically possible. Blood, bone, muscle, tendon, sinew; no matter what broke, bleed, snapped, tore, the five remaining Pokemon focused their attention on the immobilized creature above them, letting their repressed anger and rage grow as it started making a horrible shrieking sound as its form seemed to distort before finally being forcibly removed by Espeon's newfound power. As soon as they saw that their trainer was out of the firing line, being gently carried to the ground by Espeon's power, they unleashed their pent up rage.

Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, Snorlax and Pikachu letting loose attacks they hadn't thought possible until that very moment. The flame on Charizard's tail grew to a massive size before shrinking to just a small flicker of fire, the fire-flying type unleashing a concentrated blast of fire that would have made his most powerful Fire Blast seem like an underpowered Ember in comparison. Blastoise lowered his body so that his arms were touching the ground to help absorb the impact of what was to come, his cracked cannons humming with power as blue flashes of light could be seen shining through the cracks in the cannons and his shell; then two condensed high pressure blasts of water erupted from those same cannons, the metal of them creaking and shattering as did parts of his shell as they loosed the streams. Venusaur's body began to glow with a deep green, that same rich green being fired as a beam from the sides of his wounded trunk; those beams then lost their glow, revealing the jagged and thorn covered roots that were stemming from and drawing power the withering and wilting flower on the behemoth's back. Snorlax took in a breath as he haphazardly began using up the energy that was stored within his body as a small orb of orange was formed in front of his mouth; the normal type letting charging an extremely potent and concentrated Hyper Beam that used up enough energy to cause Snorlax to quickly lose weight, being only as thick around as the arm of a regular Snorlax when the attack was loosed. Pikachu was covered with enough electricity that he began electrifying the very ground and air, his body beginning to smoke from overexerting and burning out his electricity generating organs; then he loosed that volatile and self-destructive electricity as it gained a crimson tint, multiple bolts of yellow and red plasma surging towards the disorientated jellyfish.

As for the one foolish and asinine enough to have taken the trainer of such loyal and unyielding Pokemon, the jellyfish was still frozen in place by Espeon, the lavender colored psychic type ensuring that it reaped what it had sowed. For the other invaders, the sudden surge of power had halted their infighting, all of them focusing on the scene unfolding before them as a strange sensation began to fill their bodies. Finally, the unleashed attacks met their target as a brief cry left the jellyfish before a brilliant flash of light consumed the area, the invaders having to shield their eyes to avoid being blinded as a heavy tremor robbed them of their footing. But it was the subsequent rush of wind and debris that knocked them to the ground, feeling as though the pocket dimension they were currently occupying was being torn apart by the raw energy being centralized and concentrated on a single point.

Once the light faded and the tremors stopped, the invaders shakily rose and promptly froze at the sight before them. There they were, standing tall and proud, ready to continue battling despite the horrendous damage that was clearly present on their bodies. That same strange sensation returned, this time in full as fear seized them of all bodily function. Despite being in absolutely no condition to battle, looking more like they were already deceased while standing, the invaders were completely fearful of the strange Pokemon before them. Standing at the ready all for the strange creature laying on the ground behind them, acting like it was a treasure that they weren't even worthy of gazing upon. A treasure that quickly garnered the interest of the roach-like Pokemon as it stared hard at Red's prone form, this invader in particular having a penchant for collecting treasures of all kinds.

However, before it could even try and take a chance at gaining another treasure, the world finally started to fall apart. Multiple gales of wind tearing across the area, thunder and lightning lit up the area as the dimensional pocket the current group found themselves in began to split; smaller rifts in space appearing as a large number of the invaders were ripped from their current plane of existence. For the roach-like invader, it took the momentary chaos as a distraction to get as close to its newest target as possible, managing to slip past the semi-conscious Pokemon in standing in front of Red just enough to leave a mark on the youth. Leaning in, it nuzzled against his neck and left a particular pheromone that only it could detect, one that wouldn't fade with age, wear or weather. Slipping out just before Espeon caught it with her newfound powers, the lavender Pokemon narrowing her eyes and cursing herself for her lack of speed and precision. Then, with her evolution came the exhaustion that followed, Espeon falling unconscious as did her big brothers as the damage and fatigue that they had accumulated finally caught up with them.

One by one, they fell into darkness as they turned to get as close to their trainer as possible. The last to lose their state of consciousness were Pikachu and Charizard, the obstinately forcing their minds to remain awake until they saw their trainer's eyes. Their efforts were rewarded when Red finally did open his eyes, seeing the tearful, bloody and broken bodies of his dearest friends. His eyes widening, he tried to move only to cry out in pain when the wounds that littered his body made themselves known. Confusion filling him, Red soon slowed when everything that had happened finally returned to him, the youth gritting his teeth as he fumbled with barely functioning hands to gather the Pokeballs on his waist. With a bit of effort, he managed to get them and recall his friends, bidding Charizard and Pikachu a tearful but warm smile as they tried to avoid the crimson beams of energy. But, their injuries finally having caught up to them, they were powerless as they were recalled without issue.

When he saw that his friends were safe, Red placed them into the pocket that rested on the inside of his jacket, ensuring that it was zipped closed and secure to avoid losing any of them in the raging storm that he found himself caught up in. Then, with the injuries that he, himself, carried along with the toxins still affecting him, Red fell unconscious as the world seemed to rip itself apart. The young man never saw the group of people who seemed to appear out of nowhere, many of them panicking when they saw the state of the plane they found themselves in, they panicked even more when they saw Red and his current condition. Moving quickly, they secured him and rushed to a nearby rift in space, the raven haired youth never seeing the bustling and futuristic city that his saviors and himself arrived in.

When he next awoke, Red found himself back on Mt. Silver, him and his Pokemon all healed from their traumatic and life-threatening battle with the invaders. At first, they had all assumed it was a dream, an extremely disturbing and life-like dream, but when they saw the scar tissue that covered their bodies they knew that it was a reality. When they all realized that what happened wasn't a dream, Red's first instinct was to return home and speak to his mother and Professor Oak about what had happened, but then the strangest and most disturbing thing occurred. When he simply thought about telling someone else of what he had experienced, an intense and debilitating pain tore through his person, like his mind was going to tear itself about if he even thought about sharing what had happened with another soul. It was at that moment that Red realized he was alone in his suffering, unable to share the pain, sorrow and confusion about what had happened whilst on Mt. Silver. But even if that were true, that he wouldn't be able to vent and talk about the traumatic experience he had, Red needed to see the face of his mother, the only person who would be able to understand and calm him.

Boarding his Charizard, he raced from the summit of Mt. Silver, incurring a number of injuries along the way from the hellish terrain and wild Pokemon. Arriving at Pallet Town not a second too late, the young man ran towards the little house with a red topped roof only to freeze and stare with eyes wide with disbelief at the scene before him. There, coming out of the house that was most definitely his own, was another black haired youth with a Pikachu resting on his shoulder. A grin on the face of the youth, he turned and gave a long and warm hug to a youthful looking woman with brunette hair. Confusion and fear filling the crimson eyed young man, he turned and looked for Blue's house, his fears only growing when he saw a boy that looked similar to Blue but had a lighter shade of hair along with a entourage of girls following after him, cheering his name. This 'Gary' character wasn't the Blue that Red knew, not at all. Running towards Leaf's house, Red's fears were finally realized when an empty plot of land was were the green roofed house once stood, tear beginning to well up in the eyes of the youth as a passerby stopped beside him.

"A shame it is... Ash and Gary could've had a nice little girl to help balance them out if her and her family didn't have move when their house collapsed. I'm guessing you knew them, kiddo?" Asked the elderly man as Red froze, shakily turning to look at the kindly old man as he offered the young man a worried look.

"Are you ok? You're looking a little pale." He asked as Red quickly shook his head in the negative, turning and running towards the forest as the elderly man called out to him in worry.

Red didn't stop running until his lungs felt like they were on fire, his legs feeling as though they were made of lead with how hard he was pushing himself. But none of that mattered to the crimson eyed youth, a choked sob leaving his mouth as tears began to fill his eyes. Once again, he was alone, in a world that was like his own but so very different. Quiet sobs leaving his person, he rested his aching and tired body against a nearby tree and vented his sorrows, his soft weeping reaching his Pokemon as they forcibly released themselves from their Pokeballs. Managing to muffle his sobbing, he turned to look at his teams with teary eyes, as they simply moved to embrace and nuzzle against their trainer, reminding him that he wasn't as alone as he thought. As long as they drew breath, they would never leave the raven haired young man alone, not until he deemed that they weren't important to him anymore, something that would never happen, not ever.

Spending a few minutes simply reminding each other that they were family, they shared smiles and hugs before Red nodded his head. Wiping away the remnants of the tears that still lingered on the corners of his eyes, Red thanked his Pokemon before mounting Charizard once more, intent on reaching the summit of Mt. Silver once more. A trek that was just as brutal and dangerous as the youth and his Pokemon had remembered, though there was a few differences in the terrain that puzzled the seven. After a few days of climbing, there they were once again, alone on the pristine summit of the mountain. Seeing that, he released his Pokemon as they all shared looks and nodded, a silent promise to each other. A promise to never lose like they did against the invaders, having only managed to scrape by, by the skin of their teeth. They made a promise to themselves and each other, to never come that close to death. A promise to become the strongest of their species, of all Pokemon, in any dimension they would find themselves in. And a promise that they would see their trainer back to their home dimension, no matter what it took.

Afterwards, the seven dedicated training themselves to the brink of death before forcing themselves to push past that threshold. The power that they exhibited when they had their last stand against the invaders, the power that they displayed at the cost of their lives; Pikachu, Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur and Snorlax were dead-set on achieving that power, to be able to utilize it at the whim of their trainer should he desire it. For Espeon, she was focused on honing and strengthening her newfound powers, intent on overpowering even Mewtwo, if the stories that her family told her were to be believed. For Red, the young teen had opted to train his mind and body, resolving to never be a hostage or liability for his team again. Before long, they spent a year and a half in that dimension before it happened once more, a strange rift in the sky breaking the seven from their training as they readied themselves for a rematch with the invaders. But unlike last time, that rift suddenly grew in size before Red was pulled towards it, panic setting in as he quickly recalled his Pokemon as they tried to catch him.

When he awoke, Red found himself in a world that appeared like it was mashed together by a toddler; a number of extremely contrasting landscapes linked together: cliff, water, snow, forest, cave, desert, volcanic and plains. Releasing his Pokemon, he was about to ask them what they thought of the situation when the invaders returned, or at least a few of them. Multiple jellyfish, bundles of walking cable and bamboo rockets appeared, instantly drawing the rage of the seven as they attacked them without impunity. While they knew that they weren't the same who had attacked them before, especially since they erased the first jellyfish in the first battle, they weren't taking any chances this time as the invaders quickly saw the hostile Pokemon racing towards them. And, like they had hoped, the battle wasn't as one-sided as their first encounter with the invaders, though they weren't without injuries of their own. While not as debilitating as the first battle, the seven needed to seek shelter and tend to their wounds before they were ambushed and attacked again, Red taking note that multiple instances of the invaders seemed to be using this dimension as a rest stop of sorts. While they hid and rested, Red made sure to take mental notes of the battles that took place between the unknown Pokemon, beginning to understand their typing and attack patterns.

With the strange amalgamation of landscapes, surviving wasn't as difficult as it would have been on Mt. Silver; moving to each landscape as needed. Foraging, sleeping, training, battling and surviving. This continued for another three years, until the seven found a way back home. It was during another skirmish between a group of red mosquito, walking mouths, clowns and pile of bricks that Red finally saw something that brought hope to him and his team. Just as they were recovering from that rather gruesome skirmish, another rift opened that showed the familiar sight of Mt. Silver. Without thinking, Red raced towards that rift, jumping in and praying that it was the one that would return him to his true home. As the crimson eyed youth jumped, he never saw the shadow that seemed to have been following them until the rift closed. It was when the nostalgic chill of Mt. Silver reached him that he snapped his eyes open, glancing around and seeing that he was indeed on Mt. Silver. But, unlike the last time when he rushed to Pallet Town, he released his team and asked Espeon to check on his home using her Future Sight.

Always happy to please her trainer, Espeon let out an eager cry as she focused her psychic power, her eyes gaining a blue glow as she projected her mind towards the small town. Spending a few seconds looking for the woman that rested at the top of her trainers heart, she saw her and ceased her use of Future Sight before the attack actually took place. Turning towards Red, she nodded at him as he smiled and knelt down to run his hands across her head, the psychic type purring in absolute delight at his coddling. Seeing that he was back home, or at least he hoped, Red let a sigh out that carried most of his tension. Turning to his team, he smiled at them before nodding as they cried in affirmation, moving to follow what had become their normal routine.

(Flashback - End)

(Scene Change - Unova: Route 6 - Red's Location)

Roughly a year later he met Ethan and Lyra, and the rest was history. The memory of those alternate dimensions, meeting his mother, his real mother, and the joy of being in the right world still affected the young man resting at the base of the tree. Even though he was back home, he was still alone. Even when Blue had successfully deduced that he was lying about what had happened in his ten years alone, he would forever be unable to tell even his best friend or anyone what had truly happened in those other worlds. Earlier, though he wished to tell Blue about those strange Pokemon and the worlds he had lived in, that same piercing pain tore through his mind, as if it were a guardian or lock on those memories and the information that they carried. Even trying to recall and place those memories on paper or electronically caused that same pain, Red letting a somewhat hollow chuckle leave his mouth as he let his head rest on the trunk of the tree. But, that was enough moping around.

Standing, Red patted himself on his cheeks to break him out of his depressive state, reminding himself to focus on the present and the future. The past ten years were a reminder of his weakness and the weakness of his team, a weakness that Red had finally overcome just a year ago. A small smile crossing his lips when he remembered that, Red rose and headed back to his camp, his earlier tension and anxiety having melted away as a renewed hope filled his body. Arriving shortly, Red settled back into his sleeping bag with that same small and content smile on his face. Before long, the crimson eyed youth was sound asleep as he found himself dreaming of not those wretched ten years, but of the past few months, of his dear friends and family. In the midst of the night, as the hours passed with peace and serenity; Red, Leaf and Blue entirely ignorant of certain shadow that seemed flickering and lurking around the edge of their campsite. That same shadow quickly skittered over to Red as it loomed over him, a strange air about it as it studied his sleeping face. The shadow reaching out its arm, it aimed for the face of the snoozing ravenette before gently and possessively running its hand across his cheek, taking great pleasure as he cutely wrinkled his nose when it accidentally brushed against it.

"**...Mosa...!**"

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**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Red" - Person Talking

"_Red_" - Person Thinking

**"Red"** – Pokemon Talking

**"****_Red_****"** \- Pokemon Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go**

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Requisition - Chapter 6

"Ugh... My back..."

"Oww... My stomach..."

With the arrival of the morning's first rays of sunshine, a pair of groans could be heard echoing through a clearing as a few curious Pokemon skittered to the edge of the camp to observe the pitifully groaning humans writhing in their sleeping bags. Blue and Leaf could be seen cradling their back and stomach, moaning in agony as their unkempt appearances only added to the rather pathetic sight, having somehow moved enough during their sleep that they were now side by side in their dirt covered sleeping bags. Standing in front of them was Red, his eyes blank and his face set into a stony expression as he took in the sorry states of his childhood friends. Were these two really the same Blue and Leaf that had grown up with him? Battled together with him? Traveled just like he did? Red wasn't too sure that the people he remembered were the same ones who were currently begging the heavens to put them out of their misery.

Sighing, the crimson eyed young man moved over to the two before kneeling down, rubbing their backs and stomachs as their groaning slowly turned more eased and airy. Before long, the two brunettes were up and about, or at least Blue was. Leaf was still laying on her sleeping bag, offering her bare stomach for the ravenette to rub as purrs of absolute delight left her mouth. Watching the sight with a pair of dead eyes were said ravenette and Blue, the two men turning and sharing looks as the habit of the young lady hadn't left her in the twenty years they had known each other. Since they were children, whenever the trio would spend a moment to nap or sleep together, Leaf had always been the last to wake, only ever fully waking when her beloved crimson eyed childhood friend would pat her back or stomach to help ease the 'mornings' as she called it.

"Seriously, Leaf. Still have that horrible habit I see." Blue quipped with a sigh as the brunette laying down shot him a dirty glare, huffing as she rolled over to lay her head on the lap of her more affectionate childhood friend.

"Hmph! Like I care what you think, Blue! At least I still don't sleep with a plush Squirtle and matching pajamas!" The young lady answered back snidely as Red turned to look at his other childhood friend with a small smirk if amusement cracking his indifferent mask, Blue's face red with indignant rage and embarrassment as his brow twitched with utter mortification.

"T-That's! D-Damn it, Leaf! You promised me that you'd never bring it up, ever! And you! You had better have kept your promise too, Red! If you've told anyone, I'll make you wish you never left Mt. Silver!" Yelled the red faced brunette as he broke his gaze to snap a quick look at a worn looking but well loved Squirtle plush, snapping to look back at his friends as they wore amused and nostalgic expressions at his expense.

Biting back the retort that danced on the edge of his tongue, Blue sighed before moving to pack up his sleeping area and wash up whilst grumbling under his breath. With a bit of persuading, mostly telling the comfortable lump laying on his lap that he would had breakfast done by the time she finished washing up, Leaf rushed towards her tent and started getting ready for the day ahead. As for the raven haired young man, Red returned to the campfire where a large assortment of breakfast for everyone currently in his camp could be seen cooking. The tantalizing smell drew in wild Pokemon from the forest, all of them sniffing the air at the delightful smell that they had only smelt coming from the large city at the forests edge. Seeing them, Red blinked before smiling as he stood up and went to his own area of the campsite.

Rummaging through the backpack that he had, he pulled out a few containers of Pokemon food before moving towards the wild Pokemon, drawing looks of caution and fear as he neared them. Kneeling down, he poured out the canned food before offering the Pokemon a friendly and warm smile. At that sight, a strange sensation filled the bodies of the wild Pokemon, feeling as though they were safe and wouldn't be harmed while in the presence of the human in front of them. Slowly moving over, they helped themselves to the food presented to them, tentatively taking bites before happily chowing down when they tasted the food. Seeing them eating so happily and heartily, Red nodded before moving to tend back to the breakfast cooking on top of the campfire. A few minutes later, the crimson eyed young man was joined by his childhood friends as they hungrily eyed the delectable assortment of food laid out in front of them.

"Let everyone out, let's eat." Red said with a smiling tone as the two smiled warmly at him, happy that their friend still considered his Pokemon as family and dined with them.

Taking their Pokeballs, the trio released their partners as thirty five flashes of light could be seen lighting up the clearing. Powerful and earth shaking roars resounding from the titans of the three, they scanned the grounds for their opponents only to pause and relax when the heavenly smell of Red's cooking made it to their noses. Those who were familiar with his cooking instantly moved to sit down and wait obediently while those who were unfamiliar with the smell merely drooled at the scent. With the crimson eyed young man distributing the food, the sounds of happily eating people and Pokemon could be heard from the clearing soon eough, those who were unfamiliar with Red instantly taking a liking to him as they savored the delectable offerings that they had only tasted when at the homes of their trainers or at the fine dining establishments that permitted Pokemon to dine with their trainers.

As for the two other trainers, they soon stopped eating and watched with dead eyes as their teams were practically cuddled up against Red as they tried to squeeze an extra helping out of the young man. Though, those thoughts of securing an extra portion were melted away by pleasure as he seemed to know just where to scratch and pet them to draw a purr or rumble of pleasure from them; Blastoise, Jolteon, Wigglytuff and Venusaur being reminded of the young man's magical hands as he seemed to instantly remember and recall their weak points. Watching him act so naturally with their Pokemon and have even the most hardened and anti-social members open up to him when it took them months, it reminded the two of the uncanny and somewhat frightening ability that their crimson eyed childhood had to connect to and bond with the hearts of Pokemon, wild or otherwise.

Those dead eyes soon shifted to anger when Red turned to look at them, a slightly smug smile crossing his face as he continued to scratch Wigglytuff and Jolteon, getting cries of absolute joy from the two as they pressed themselves harder into the hands of the raven haired man. Small frowns crossing the faces of the two brunettes, a gloomy cloud began to hover above them as they sulked while poking at their breakfast, drawing the attention of their Pokemon as they debated comforting the two or try and get more coddling and pets from the man in front of them. Eventually, Jolteon, Blastoise, Venusaur and Wigglytuff trotted over to their partners, patting them on the back and nuzzling up against them as the gloomy air around them only seemed to be amplified by their starters' attempts at cheering them up. Once breakfast was finished, Blue and Leaf pitching in to help Red with the rather large amount of dishes, the three watched with warm eyes as their companions and partners got to know one another a bit better.

Charizard and Pikachu were flanked by their fellow starters: Blastoise, Jolteon, Venusaur and Wigglytuff as they shared stories of what had happened in the past decade, the two hermits being astounded by the somewhat unbelievable tales that were leaving the mouths of the four. While Blastoise, Jolteon and Wigglytuff seemed unaffected by the decade of separation, having picked up old conversations without issue with Charizard and Pikachu; Venusaur was openly ignoring Charizard and any and all attempts that the fire-flying type was making to try and close the gap that seemed to have formed between the two starters. Even when bringing up old memories that the two only had with each other, like when they were separated from Red and Leaf when they were still young in Viridian Forest, the grass-poison type refused to acknowledge the fire-flying type. It wasn't until Charizard was flanked on both sides by Tyranitar and Hydregon that Leaf's Venusaur started to pay attention to him, seemingly growing more and more agitated when she saw the dragonesque Pokemon being fought over by the two females before her.

Eventually she had enough of the sight, Venusaur smacking Charizard across his face with her vines as a squawk of pain left him. Without saying a single thing, the green behemoth harrumph before sauntering over and conversing with Red's own Venusaur, the other grass-poison titan somewhat surprised and wary as she hadn't payed him any mind since they had reunited, though it wasn't like she did even when they were in their pre-evolved states a decade prior. Back with Charizard, the poor Pokemon was nursing a rather bright mark that marred his cheek with confusion swimming in his teary eyes, being fretted over by the two females who were currently sending death glares toward Venusaur. Ignoring them, she proceeded to sunbathe beside the other behemoth, getting wry looks from everyone as Pikachu hopped onto and patted his oldest friend on the shoulder whilst shaking his head at his density.

Before long, the time to head back to the stadiums was at hand, the three prodigies of Kanto recalling their partners before sharing smiles and smirks with each other. Packing up their camping equipment, Leaf and Blue secured the straps on their packs while Red merely rolled up the minimal amount of supplies he had brought before slinging the pack over his shoulders, having only cleaned and straightened out his sleeping bag and the leanto resting above it. Nodding his head, the three embarked back towards the tournament grounds, their formally carefree and happy expressions melting to a somewhat mask of seriousness that completely painted the trio in a different light then usual, all of them intent on showing the entirety of the world that the Kanto trio had returned. For over five years, Leaf and Blue had been absent from any and all competitions between the regions, finding it useless when they were without the third member of their trio. For Red, having been gone a decade, he was intent on seeing firsthand what the new era had to bring. Even with their battles yesterday, they were unimpressed with what they were currently facing, only having an inkling of excitement when the idea of battling the other named trainers made it to the front of their minds.

Parting from the camp grounds, they were unaware of the shadow hidden in the shade of the tree closest to Red's original position, the form of the feminine roach-like Pokemon making itself known as it calmly sauntered over to where her treasure was laying his head. Staring down indifferently at it the sleeping bag that Red was sleeping in, its eyes soon sparkled with delight as it lunged into and began rolling around in the scent of the young man. Sighing in content as it snuggled deeper into the raven haired young man's sleeping bag, the invader almost let sleep take over as it finally had the scent of the man covering the entirety of its body, an equally content smile crossing its face as the world of dreams welcomed it with wide arms. Though, when a few curious Pokemon wandered towards the sleeping bag of the human who so graciously shared its breakfast with them, they froze before bolting from the area as if a devil were on their tails, the eye of the invader cracked open with bloodlust tainting it as it dared them to take another step towards its newfound territory. Once all potential threats were properly scared off, only then did the invader fully let itself fall asleep, snuggling deeper and nibbling slightly on the pillow of her crimson eyed treasure.

(Time Skip - An Hour Later)

(Scene Change: Pokemon World Tournament - Stadium A)

"Guess it's time to really show off how strong our Pokemon and us have gotten, hmm?" Leaf asked with a small smirk finally breaking her serious mask, Red merely nodding as Blue could be seen fiddling with his modified PokeNav that currently listed the possible opponents the three could face.

"Hmm. So far no one's too outstanding besides the Champions, Elite Four and Gym Leaders. I know a few of the newer trainers from Kalos are going to be tough because of their fairy type Pokemon, but none of them are ringing any alarms. Our first match-ups are probably going to be against the Johto region, but that's only speculation at this point. We probably won't be having much trouble until the fourth or fifth rounds, if we go region to region." The brunette reported as he scanned and memorized the many faces that had appeared on the page of noteworthy trainers, Red and Leaf still amazed that inside the head of their rather brash childhood friend sat the greatest intelligence of the three of them.

Seeing as the two were a bit lost in their own worlds, Leaf heading straight to the Pokemon Center to have her team in tip-top shape while Blue went towards a computer to dig up more information about their opponents, Red was left alone in the lobby with numerous people passing through. Luckily, no one seemed to immediately recognize him, the raven haired young man breathing a light sigh of relief as he made his way towards an empty looking waiting room when the stares finally began to occur. Entering the room, he glanced around and saw that it was indeed empty, the crimson eyes of the man sparkling slightly at the sight. Quickly taking a seat as far away from the doors as possible, Red activated his Pokedex and continued researching the concept and applications of "Mega Evolution." Lost in his research, he wasn't aware of the newcomer who also entered the vacant room, the young lady squeaking a bit in fright when she saw the rather intimidating visage of Red's face; his eyes narrowed and brows furrowed as he tried to understand the concept of Mega Stones and their connection to Key Stones. The other occupant of the room growing nervous at having to share the room with such a scary looking person, she debated leaving and finding another empty room only to recall that this was the only one that wasn't as bustling or full. Resigning herself to her fate, she slowly and cautiously edged her way to a seat on the far side of the room, which was only about four to five meters away at best.

A shaky sigh of relief leaving Jasmine, she placed an equally shaky hand on her chest to help ease her hammering heart. She had just wanted to find a room without too many people crowding it, never having been one for crowds and the noise that they brought. Even when she was invited to stay with the other Gym Leaders of her home region, she refused as she wasn't comfortable with the other trainers who had also been invited to hang out with them. So finding an empty room on the far corner of the stadium was a blessing in disguise, even if it was a little bit of a farther walk then the others and less spacious. But as her luck would have it, she ended up in the same room with a trainer who looked like they were about to wreck havoc in the room she found herself currently in.

"_W-What do I do...?! S-Should I just get up and leave? No, what if he thinks I'm going to call security or something?! H-He might attack me! Come'on, think Jasmine, think! L-Let's see... A-Ah, I know! Play dead! H-He'll leave me alone if he thinks I'm dead, r-right!?_" The steel type Gym Leader thought to herself as she began to sweat slightly with anxiety and panic setting in, taking a chance as she debated her next choice of action.

Breaking from her panicked and anxiety ridden thoughts, she stole another glance at her sole companion, instantly freezing when she saw him staring at her with suspicious eyes. Death. That was all Jasmine saw as the crimson eyes of the man sitting across from her pierced through her very soul, the poor brunette feeling a heavy and almost suffocating pressure resting on her shoulders as he continued to stare at her with those piercing red eyes. Never in her life had she met someone so scary, not even Silver and all of his cold anger could compare to the red eyed man still staring at her. For the life of her, Jasmine tried to close her eyes and look away, to do anything that would get the sight of him out of her mind, but alas, she was stuck staring at him with a fearful expression on her face.

"...Is something wrong?" Asked Red in a soft and slightly awkward manner, Jasmine feeling as though she needed to do a double-take as the voice of the man sounded completely opposite of what she had expected.

For Red, the young man had a slightly solemn glint in his eyes, the reason being that he recalled and remembered the look of fear and anxiety that currently rested on the face of the young lady sitting across the room from him. His appearance was something that he was slightly self-conscious of, something that surprised his childhood friends as he had always acted nonchalant and apathetic when he would garner strange looks from strangers. Leaf had always told him that she liked the way he looked, being the most handsome and gallant boy she had known. Blue had always said that Red had the look of a true Pokemon Master, someone who looked calm and capable no matter the situation. But for Red, he was fully aware of the somewhat fearful and anxious looks that his crimson eyes drew toward himself, though he wouldn't trade them for any other color as they matched the eyes of his mother and father. His eyes were something that only added to and compounded onto his shyness, they were the reason he had styled his hair and wore a hat to help shadow and cover them. So seeing someone so frightful of his eyes brought back unwanted and unsavory memories, adding to his already high social awkwardness, the young man adverting his gaze as the young lady seemed to flinch from the unexpected action.

For Jasmine, it was like she was looking at a parallel version of herself, looking at the same awkward and socially inept person she saw every morning in the mirror. Seeing him advert his gaze, a classic tactic used by those who weren't the best with social situations, was staggering to say the least. The contrasting images of the man in front of her kept boggling her mind, was he the terrifying and cold person that looked like he was an ex-member of Team Rocket or some other organization? Or was he the awkward and shy looking young man that she was currently witnessing? For the life of her, Jasmine couldn't make heads or tails of the situation, her lack of knowledge about situations such as this doing little to help her. But, there was something about the man sitting across from her that kept drawing her attention, the brunette feeling a bit of kinship with the red eyed man.

"N-Nothing...! I-I'm just... Just not very good with people... Sorry..." Jasmine apologized as she adverted her gaze as well, an awkward silence taking over the room as the pair inside of it seemed adamant about not disturbing the other.

"It's fine, I'm not either, sorry..." Red admitted as he rose his head to face her, offering her a soft but understanding smile that the steel type Gym Leader couldn't help but return at how sincere and kind it was.

"Um... I'm Jasmine, pleased to meet you, um..." Jasmine said as she rose her face to meet Red's, the brunette flushing a bit as she adverted her gaze once more when she realized that she forgot to ask the name of the man.

"It's nice to meet you too, Jasmine. I'm Red." Red replied with the same soft tone that she was using, the brunette freezing before a slight smile crossed her face as to look at Red and saw him sporting a shy smile own.

The meeting of two people who weren't the most socially outgoing was always a difficult and embarrassing one, once again proven by Red and Jasmine as silence reigned once more after they finished with their introductions. Red had a dusting of pink on his cheeks as he mentally screamed at himself for his social ineptitude, unable to believe that he was still this awkward even when it was with someone who was as kind as Jasmine appeared to be. Jasmine had an equal dusting of pink on her own cheeks as she tried to think of something to break the foot thick ice that formed between the two of them, wanting to extend a hand of friendship to Red who, despite looking like someone wicked, seemed exceptionally kind. The two running through various simulations as to what would happened should they say something, all of them having some kind of negative outcome as silence continued to reign over the room. It wasn't until Jasmine mustered up her courage and decided to take a chance, deciding the tournament would be the best approach to take.

"So, um, Red... W-What are your thoughts about the tournament so far?" Jasmine asked as Red offered her a thankful smile, the brunette giggling softly as the tension that was building inside of her began to melt seeing that she wasn't the only one overthinking and panicking about the current atmosphere.

"It seems like it's going to be interesting. I'm hoping I can see Mega Evolution in a bit more detail, I'm not too familiar with it." Red answered honestly as Jasmine blinked at his reply, the idea that there was someone who wasn't knowledgeable about the basics of Mega Evolution being a foreign one to the brunette.

"I-If you want, I can explain it, at least explain what I know of it." Jasmine offered as her anxiety and anxiousness was pushed aside by her genuine curiosity about the man's query, Red blinking in surprise before standing and making his way over to her.

Seeing him walking towards her did fill her with a bit of anxiety, though it instantly faded when she saw the child-like wonder that sparkled in his eyes as her took a seat and stared expectantly at her. Unable to help it considering how striking the contrast was, she giggled as Red tilted his head in confusion, only adding to the giggling fit that Jasmine soon found herself in. Taking a few seconds to calm herself, she squeaked a bit when Red leaned in towards her, his head resting right beside hers as he activated his Pokedex and expanded the size of its display. The sudden virtual array appearing before her startled Jasmine, never having seen such an advanced model before but soon she found herself fascinated with the number of open articles concerning the concepts and intricacies of Mega Evolution. Before long, what was once awkward silence had melted to amiable and warm conversation, the two socially awkward trainers finding a mutual understanding and companionship with the other as they shared smiles with each other whilst browsing the various articles laid out before them.

["Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! We hope that you're all ready for our named battles! Battles will begin in the hour, so please don't be late and come support your favorite trainers!"] The tournament announcer spoke as the two inside the room jumped at the sudden voice, Jasmine holding onto the arm of her newest friend as a sudden shriek of fear left her.

Red wasn't in much better of a situation though he was shielding the brunette as the sudden voice startled him as well, his first instinct being to protect the gentle and soft spoken young lady beside him. Though once the two calmed themselves and realized that it was only an announcement, they turned to look at each other while wry and embarrassed laughs left them with equally embarrassed looks on their faces. It was only when Red tried to move that Jasmine noticed just how tightly she was holding onto his arm, letting an embarrassed squeak leave her mouth as she seemed to jump away from as if he were made of fire. Crimson coloring her face, she focused her gaze downward as steam seemed to rise from her face, Red having a light dusting of pink on his own cheeks as he awkwardly looked away. Silence prevailing in the room, they slowly shifted their gazes towards each other before quickly adverting them once more when they locked eyes. But it was quickly broken when Red had a soft laugh leave his mouth, turning to offer a somewhat wry and shy smile at Jasmine as the light brunette returned it with a soft smile and giggle of her own.

"We should probably get going." Red said with a soft tone, Jasmine nodding in agreement as they stood and moved towards the door together.

Walking side by side, they were quietly but happily chatting about everyday things, drawing the attention of a few when they saw the normally soft-spoken and shy Jasmine giggling and smiling brightly with the intimidating and imposing trainer who stunned everyone who had seen his debut battle. The sight seemed like they were an everyday couple, Jasmine retelling what the day before had brought to her while Red listened and added a few comments here and there. Ignoring the stunned and flabbergasted looks sent their way, the pair found themselves at the main lobby of the stadium, Jasmine having a somewhat sad look cross her face as she turned to look at her newfound friend, Red returning her look with a apologetic one of his one.

"Where are you battling today, Jasmine?" Red asked the brunette as she flinched a bit at the sudden question, flushing a bit as she pulled out her Pokégear and accessed its messaging application.

"U-Umm, I'll be battling in Stadium F around noon." She reported as she confirmed the details of her battle, Red nodding as she turned to look back up at him.

"Then I'll come by to cheer you on. I'm scheduled to battle now, so I'll be there to watch yours." The ravenette stated as the eyes of the steel type Gym Leader shined a bit, Jasmine offering him a warm smile as she nodded in agreement.

"I'll stay and cheer you on then!" She chirped as the two found themselves laughing lightly at their little situation, Red bidding her farewell while she did the same before moving to the spectators box reserved for named trainers.

Heading to the waiting room, Red shot a glance towards the display currently was playing a recording of one of the battles from the year prior, the crimson eyed young man quickly scanning and analyzing the Pokemon that were battling. Seeing their conditions, being exceptionally trained but lacking something that his main team had, brought a bit of dissatisfaction to the young man. He wouldn't offend and brush off the training that them and their trainer had gone though, they were obviously powerful based on the match being one of the top sixteen final battles, but even seeing them rocking the camera and arena with their attacks brought little excitement to Red. Though, it wasn't an apt or fair comparison, as the trainer and his Pokemon were forced to survive in a pocket dimension with an endless number of invaders who were all as powerful as they were otherworldly.

["Alright folks, today the battles taking place in this stadium are going to be between the Kanto region and Unova region! Now, let's see who our trainers for the day's first match are!"] Came the ever energetic voice of the announcer for the stadium, the screen Red was watching suddenly shifting to display a large array of portraits of trainers participating in the tournament from both regions as a selection cursor suddenly started darting randomly around.

[Let's hear it for today's first battlers! You all know her and the shine she brings to both the stage and her gym! Let's hear it for the 'Shining Beauty' herself, Elesa!"] The voice of the announcer said as the cursor stopped on the stylishly dressed, raven haired young lady, the crowd going wild as the beautiful and elegant form of Nimbasa City's Gym Leader stepped onto the battling field with practiced and stylish steps.

A smile on her face, Elesa walked towards the green side of the battling field, waving at crowd as they went even wilder when she directed her attention towards them. Stopping in her trainer box, she moved to pull up her visor, letting it rest on her head as the sight of her exposed face drew an even louder reaction from the crowd as a number of cries and yells of affection, adoration and devotion were sent her way. Basking in the excitement and energy of the crowd, she took a breath to ready herself as she turned to look at the cursor currently selecting her opponent.

"_Hmm... I'd like a battle with Surge if possible, a battle between two electric type Gym Leaders would be a perfect start! But, even if it doesn't happen, I guess beggars can't be choosers... Hehe, beggars can't be Pikachu-sers! Haha! I need to tell Skyla that one!_" Elesa thought to herself in a contemplative manner, though she soon giggled to herself as she found another pun to tell her best friend about.

"Go Elesa! You got this!" Skyla shouted with vigor and energy, cheering loudly for her best friend as Elesa could be seen with a tinge of pink on her cheeks from her overly loud and embarrassing best friend.

"Show them what the 'Shining Beauty' is really capable of, Elesa!" Clay called out with a grin on his face, chuckling softly and good naturedly when he saw her turn and glare playfully at him.

"Rock the stadium, Elesa! I know that you'll win for Unova!" Roxie cheered as she waved a small banner with 'Unova' written on it, though she quickly yanked it away from Burgh who was beginning to draw on it.

"Sorry! Just trying to add a bit more to hype her up for the battle!" The bug type Gym Leader said in a wry tone, directing the poison Gym Leader's attention to the small doddle of their fellow Gym Leader he had just completed.

Up in the Gym Leaders' spectators box, Skyla, Clay, Burgh, Roxie and Jasmine could be seen eagerly awaiting the match. The Unova Gym Leaders were a tad interested as to why Jasmine was currently in the box, having never truly seen the Johto Gym Leader ever really interacting with anyone outside of those of her inner circle, which were basically no one as her private life wasn't really well known to those outside of Olivine City. Even in years past, when she was invited by the other Gym Leaders, Skyla and Roxie themselves included, to hang out or for some ice cream, she politely refused with a stammer and shy blush. But there she was, staring with bright eyes at the stadium entrance opposite of the one Elesa had emerged from, ready and waiting to cheer whomever it was on. Curiously, they shared glances and soon nodded as they assumed that they were going to be battling against the Johto region first, though they were eager to know who the steel type Gym Leader was so eagerly awaiting.

["And here we go! Looks like Elesa's opponent is the mysterious trainer from Kanto, Red from Pallet Town! This could go either way folks!"] The announcer said in a mystifying manner, the energy of the crowd dimming a bit as a murmur spread through it at the unknown opponent for such a prominent trainer.

Hearing his name being called, Red stood up and stretched slightly. The previously innocent and somewhat childish glint in his eyes vanished in an instant, a cold and calculating light taking hold as he moved onto the battling field. Seeing him come into view, the murmurs of the crowd only grew in intensity as those who weren't aware of who he was, what he had done the day prior or his history were completely in the dark about the young man. For Elesa, she seemed a bit disappointed that she wasn't battling her fellow electric type Gym Leader, shifting her weight from one leg to the other as she watched Red approach. The crowd seemed mixed as a vast majority of those in the audience weren't in attendance during the raven haired young man's first match, confused and curious as he was an unknown in such a renown tournament. They grew only more confused when they could hear somewhat soft cheering coming from a light brown haired young lady who was known for being absolutely shy and reserved, getting equally disbelieving stares from her fellow Gym Leaders from Unova as they turned to stare at her in disbelief.

"Do your best, Red!" Jasmine whispered softly with shining eyes as she stared down at the raven haired young man passing through the stadium's tunnel, excited to see her newfound friend battle firsthand.

But the closer he got, the less and less unenthused Elesa became, sweat beginning to bead on her forehead as her heart began to hammer in her chest. Just what was the presence that he seemed to unconsciously exude? Never in her life, not even during the battles she had with Alder or Hilbert, the Champions of her home region, did she feel such an overwhelming pressure from a single person. The closest thing she could equate it to was during the counterattack against Ghetsis and his Team Plasma, when the man had managed to harness the power of Kyurem during his attempt to take over the region. But even compared to that, the young man before her was causing her heart to race its fastest since her birth. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she instantly fixed her posture and gained a serious expression in contrast to her aloof one from earlier, seeing that his eyes were currently obscured by both his bangs and the shadow of the bill of his hat. As Red arrived on his side of the battling field, he scanned his opponent and activated his Pokedex, taking a second to scan the black haired young lady in front of him and review her accolades and achievements. Nodding his head when he finished, he turned to secure his battlers before shifting to nod at the referee as she swallowed slightly when he directed his attention towards her.

["Alright then folks, let's get this battling rolling! Based on the battling lottery, it looks like this will be a double battle between our two trainers!"] The announcer spoke with excitement as the crowd regained its lost energy, cheering loudly as the referee fixed her equipment before turning to address both trainers.

"Trainers! This will be a two on two double battle between Elesa of Nimbasa City and Red of Pallet Town! As per the battle lottery, the battling field will be a rock field! Now, both trainers will be given a moment to select their Pokemon before simultaneously releasing them once ready!" The referee stated as Elesa and Red nodded at the terms of the battle, though Red seemed a bit perplexed at the concept of a double battle.

Scanning her opponent, Elesa clicked her teeth as she couldn't get a proper read on what type of Pokemon he seemed to specialize in. Seeing as she hadn't heard of him, he had to be a rising rookie but the pressure that he exuded completely shattered that train of thought, being even heavier then the current Champion's. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she merely nodded before securing her two most trusted Pokemon, turning and confirming her selection as the referee nodded before focusing on Red. With Red, the capped young man took a glance at his waist before raising his head to glance back at Elesa, seeing the other trainer flinch slightly at his gaze before he adverted it as he took two Pokeballs from his waist and nodded towards the referee. Seeing that the two were ready, she raised her flag before bringing it down as the two let their Pokeballs loose.

Four flashes of light signaled the beginning of the battle as the crowd waited with baited breath for the light to fade from the selected Pokemon, their rocking the arena as Elesa's signature and most powerful Pokemon were revealed to them. Zebstrika and Emolga crying out as they performed a small and charming flourish as the crowd when even louder with cheers at the display. Smiling at the sight of the crowd being dazzled by her beloved Pokemon, Elesa soon losing her smile as a serious expression replaced it. The crowd also quieted a bit when they saw the opposing Pokemon that soon appeared across from Elesa, the crowd quieting as well as shock and awe could be felt in the stadium as a pair of earth shaking roars left the maws of Tyranitar and Hydreigon, the two looking around before focusing their attention on the two Pokemon before them.

"The battle between Elesa of Nimbasa City and Red of Pallet Town will now begin! This is a two-on-two, double battle; the match will be concluded when all of one's Pokemon are unable to battle! Begin!" The referee stated as she raised her flag, turning to look at both trainers before nodding and bringing the flag down.

"Quick! Emolga, Zebstrika, use Attract!" Elesa called out as her Pokemon smirked before nodding as they soon gained a pink aura about them, the two twirling around before winking as a number of hearts left them and raced towards the two Pokemon staring them down.

Seeing him tilt his head, Elesa wasn't sure how to feel as it was both odd and strangely adorable; but she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind as she watched him watch the hearts reach and surround his Pokemon. Her confusion was shared with everyone watching as he hasn't made a move to even try and tell his Pokemon to evade the attack, the capped young man seemingly more interested in the attack itself then anything. But their confusion soon left when Tyranitar and Hydreigon scoffed and blew away the hearts dancing around them with complete and utter disdain. The sight startling the Gym Leader's Pokemon, they were open for a counter-attack as Tyranitar and Hydreigon opened their mouths whilst quickly gathering energy. In less then a second, Tyranitar let loose a powerful Dark Pulse while Hydreigon loosed the Dragon Pulse that she had built up, the beam-like attacks quickly reaching the two Pokemon across from them as a heavy explosion rocked the stadium.

Dust and debris obscuring the sight of Emolga and Zebstrika, the situation seemed somewhat against Elesa as she had fallen behind on the momentum that usually came from her 'Attract and Attack' strategy. But that notion was thrown out the window as Emolga erupted from above the cloud, slightly nicked but nonetheless unscathed. Her body sparking and crackling with electricity, a cry leaving her mouth as she let loose a quick bolt of blue lightning that struck Tyranitar, a grunt leaving the titan as she took a half-step back from the surprising punch that the tiny Pokemon packed. About to intercept and begrudgingly aid her rival, Hydreigon was forced on the defensive as Zebstrika rushed it down whilst its body was on fire, that same fire fading as she turned her body and used the added momentum from her Flame Charge to deliver a heavy double-barrel Double Kick that drew a sharp cry of pain from the dragon as she was sent flying back.

"Good job you two! Keep it up, don't give them a chance to counter-attack! Use Thunder Wave!" Elesa called out as she mentally sighed at her opponent's lack of directing his Pokemon, both baffled and slightly miffed that he didn't seem like he was taking the battle as seriously as she was.

Hitting the ground, the dark-dragon type snarled as it raised to glare with all three heads at the Thunderbolt Pokemon in front of it, soon yelping slightly as the electric type in front of it started to glow before tendrils of electricity were loosed from her body, soon striking and paralyzing Hydreigon. Tyranitar growled as she drew her arm back before striking the ground, a heavy tremor rocking the area before the ground in front of her was ripped up, the Thunder Wave from Emolga being rendered useless as it struck and was dissipated by the raised earth. A loud cry soon left the mouth of the electric-flying type as Tyranitar spun and shattered the spire of earth, sending sharp and jagged shards of stone that shredded the tiny body of the Sky Squirrel Pokemon. The cry of her partner stealing her attention, the momentary lapse in concentration cost the Thunderbolt Pokemon as Hydreigon managed to overcome her paralysis and roared in defiance. Her body glowing with a gold glow, Hydreigon let loose another roar as the ground beneath Zebstrika started to rumble and crack, an explosion of golden energy and earth sending the electric type skyward as a cry of pain left her mouth.

"No! Emolga! Zebstrika!" Elesa cried out as she saw her two oldest partners hit the ground, laying still as the crowd stilled and quieted at the sight.

Silence reigning over the area, it was shattered when grunts left the mouths of the two downed Pokemon, forcing themselves to stand on shaky legs as they stared down the two opposing Pokemon with defiance in their eyes. The sight drew cheers for the shaking Pokemon from the crowd, many of them cheering the two electric types on as they soon stood tall and ready, though the small shakes of their bodies spoke of how they truly felt inside. Seeing their resolve to meet the expectations and wishes of their beloved trainer, Red had a small smile cross his face as he watched the two rise before small sparks of electricity arced across their bodies. Turning to glance at each other, the two electric types nodded before Emolga hopped on top of Zebstrika's as she rushed down the two opposing Pokemon.

A pair of defiant and powerful cries leaving the two, they became cloaked in a thick shroud of electricity as they both used Wild Charge, Zebstrika's being the base as Emolga powered it up with her own. Their shroud of yellow lightning becoming a streak of white as the yellow orb shifted color to a brilliant white, they quickly closed the distance between themselves and their opponents. Surprise coloring the face of Tyranitar, she quickly crossed her arms as a metallic sheen covered her body, hardening her already steel-like hide even further as she moved in front of Hydreigon. Confusion crossing the face of the dark-dragon type, her poor vision did little to help as she smelt and sensed her partner suddenly move in front of her, a yelp soon escaping her maw as a quick and earth-shaking impact caused a small shockwave that sent her stumbling to the ground.

With Tyranitar, even with her Iron Defense and exceptional defense, the power behind the joint attack that her opponents wasn't something to scoff at. It was comparable to that of Pikachu when the yellow rodent decided to get a bit serious, luckily though, the lightning of the Mouse Pokemon was much more potent then what she was currently defending against, a single spark being all that was needed to cause paralysis. Grunting as she was slowly and steadily being pushed back, she looked at her opponents and flinched when she saw the tiny patches of smoke that were beginning to leave their bodies, concern soon flashing across her face as she turned to snarl at her partner to rise and finish the Pokemon before they pushed themselves past the breaking point. Hearing the order, Hydreigon wanted to rebut the Armor Pokemon but held her tongue when she smelt the all too familiar of slightly burning and smoking flesh.

Flying above her partner, Hydreigon trained her mouths at the pair below before letting loose a hellish Screech attack, breaking the concentration of all three Pokemon below her as they quickly moved to try and shield themselves from the horrid sound assaulting their senses of hearing. Biting back the urge to smack her partner at the callous and obviously intentional friendly-fire, Tyranitar simply turned as her tail gained a deep blue glow whilst water started to spiral around it. Letting a roar leave her maw, she swung her tail as the Aqua Tail she had readied connected without issue, sending the two electric types flying before they crashing back into the ground. Dust from the impact covering their bodies, it soon lifted to reveal their unconscious forms. A murmur passing through the crowd, they were broken from their stupor when the referee raised the red flag, drawing all eyes as she nodded in confirmation.

"Emolga and Zebstrika are unable to continue, the means that the winners are Tyranitar and Hydreigon and the victor is Red of Pallet Town!" She announced as the silence that followed was almost deafening, everyone sharing looks as they seemed a tad uncomfortable about the current atmosphere.

"...G-Good job, Red! C-Congratulations, you d-did great!" Came a soft but supportive shout from the Gym Leaders' spectator box, all eyes falling on Jasmine as she could be seeing standing with her hands cupped around her mouth to help her voice reach her capped companion.

The sudden shout didn't just draw the attention of the crowd, but also the subject of said shout as he was recalling his Pokemon, Red blinking a bit in surprise before turning and looking up towards his newest friend. Seeing Jasmine doing her best to congratulate him, pushing past her shyness and trying her ignore the countless stares being sent her way, Red couldn't help but feel touched and glad that he had met such a kind person such as her. Fixing his hat so that it didn't shadow his eyes as usual, he closed them and flashed a bright smile at her, stunning everyone as the camera suddenly choose to zoom in on the face of the raven haired young man at that exact moment. That sight, the sight of his face not hidden by the shadows of the bill of his hat or the bangs of his hair visible on the jumbotron, suddenly the crowd went wild as numerous types of shouts and calls resounded loudly though the stadium. The sudden noise, quite predictably, startled the quiet young man; Red jumping a bit as did Jasmine as they quickly gained embarrassed tints to their faces. Adverting his gaze, he saw Elesa standing there with a disappointed look on her face, her brows furrowed and fists clenched.

"_Damn it, not only did I lose, I let Emolga and Zebstrika start to burn themselves out. Come'on Elesa, what's going on with you recently, girl? Just because a few people have started saying that you're 'trying too hard' or that you're 'fake', is that a reason to be so out of it?_" Elesa thought bitterly to herself as she stared with hard and apologetic eyes at the two Pokeballs that were resting softly in her hands, the black haired young woman softly clenching her hand whilst apologizing to her beloved Pokemon for not realizing that they were pushing past their limits.

Seeing his opponent's sullen and defeated state, a somewhat apologetic look crossed the crimson eyed young man's face, Red walking over towards her side of the battling field as she turned to look up at him when he stopped before her. About to ask what it was that he wanted, she saw her answer as he held his hand out towards her, Elesa blinking a bit before following the arm's length up to its owner's face. Seeing that face unobstructed by his hat and bangs, she gained a tinge of pink when she saw the devilish mix of handsome and boyish charm that made it up. Quickly snapping out of her slight stupor, she heaved a sigh before moving to grasp his hand with her own. At the moment, Elesa noticed four things. Firstly, his hand was rather cool, feeling quite nice with their current temperature and weather. Secondly, his hand was surprisingly soft despite how firm and powerful his grip was. Third, there were numerous scars that ran across and up the arm of the crimson eyed young man. And lastly, he was quite muscular despite his lithe build, the black haired young lady seeing the musculature of his arms up close.

"It was a great battle, your Pokemon were stunning." Red said in a soft tone as he tried to cheer up the black haired young lady, Elesa having to strain her ears a bit to catch it before she smiled and laughed a bit.

"It was, wasn't it? And thanks. I thought that I'd be battling against Surge, and to be honest I was hoping for that. But that was a good battle either way! Heh, guess beggars can't be _Pikachu-sers_, right?" Elesa replied with a lighter tone then before, though she froze the instant the latter part of her statement left her mouth.

Her handshake with the young man also stalling, she could hear her heart pounding in her ears as the incredibly embarrassing and hidden part of her personality was exposed on her first meeting with her first opponent. Why!? Why did she suddenly blurt out something so embarrassing and lame to someone other then Skyla?! Even more so in front of all of the people who were still in the dark about her sealed away self that was goofy and dorky?! Stiffly and fearfully, she craned her head up and expected the look of disappointment, disgust, rejection, confusion; her bottled up fears of her self-consciousness and insecurities of her so-called 'reserved' personality. But to her shock, all she saw in the eyes of the young man standing in front of her was mirth and camaraderie, a soft scoff of amusement leaving his mouth as Red looked at her with that same mirth on his face.

"Well, that was _Onix-pected_. But there's no _Shaymin_ losing a battle, right?" Red countered as Elesa flinched at the puns that left the raven haired young man's mouth, a stark and complete contrast to his serious and intimidating appearance.

But after that shock came laughter as Elesa started giggling uncontrollably as her mind finally caught up to and processed the new puns that she quickly stored in her growing repertoire of jokes. The sight drawing confused and completely stunned stares from everyone, they soon turned and focused their gaze on the person that caused the normally reserved and cool-headed Elesa to burst out in such a fit of laughter; their confusion about the raven haired young man only growing as he tipped his hat towards Elesa after she let go of his hand to cover her mouth and hold her slightly tingly and lightly aching stomach. A soft smile on his face, Red exited the stadium as he awaited the appearance of his newest friend, heading towards the healing station situated in the waiting area to mend the injuries of Tyranitar and Hydreigon. His wait wasn't for long as the soft and delicate footsteps of Jasmine soon made it to his ears, the crimson eyed young man turning whilst securing his Pokeballs as the light brunette could be seen with a small smile on her face.

"Hey Jasmine. Thanks for cheering me on." Red said in his usually soft tone, offering her a small smile of his own as she gained a tinge of pink before giggling and stepping beside him.

"W-Well, I couldn't sit there when no one was c-cheering you on. But I do wish that I d-didn't yell that loud." Jasmine admitted as Red nodded his head in agreement, the embarrassment that they felt having been palpable with how many eyes and ears were on their persons.

"Ready to go?" Red asked as he fixed his cap once more, his eyes being shadowed once more as his companion felt herself sigh softly at the loss of his crimson colored orbs.

"Mhmm, b-but you don't have to come you know? I-I'm sure that you have b-better things to do then watch m-my match. I'm not sure that I'll w-win anyway..." The steel type Gym Leader told the crimson eyed young man in a slightly self-deprecating tone, Red's eyes softening as he moved to pat her on the head.

"Doesn't matter if you win or lose. All that matters is that you and your Pokemon do your best and have fun." He told her with a matter-of-fact tone, Jasmine flinching when she felt his hand on her head before melting a bit as he softly patted her.

But just as soon as he started patting her head and she began to enjoy it, Red yanked his hand away like he had just burnt it. A soft sound of disappointment leaving her, Jasmine looked up with a small and childish pout on her face, a bit confused as to why he stopped patting her head. For the brunette, she never had much interaction with others when she was young, due in part to her immense shyness. Red patting her head brought about a foreign but strangely nostalgic feeling that she hadn't felt since her parents and grandparents when she was a little girl, the brunette having fond memories of being comforted by them her in her times of distress and sorrow. It was strange for the steel type Gym Leader, that she felt so comfortable enough with him to not mind him touching her, as she usually had adverse reactions towards others even being close to her. But for her newest friend, there was a sort of comforting aura or air about him that just caused her to feel safe and comfortable when he was near her.

With Red, the crimson eyed young man acted on instinct and of years of taking care of and looking after two brunettes who easily got down and depressed. Seeing his newest friend so sullen when it came to battles and her concerns about winning them struck a deep chord within his heart, the young man unable to completely relate but feeling something similar to her and the struggles of battling. So, he acted impulsively and invaded her personal space, patting her head like she was Leaf or Blue. It wasn't just that she reminded him of the two other brunettes, as Red was a naturally caring and doting person as contrasting as his appearance would belay.

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to do that. You just reminded me of my best friends when they were feeling down. I don't like to see people sad." Red said in an apologetic tone as Jasmine tilted her head in confusion, her confusion soon fading as red colored her cheeks as her mind finally processed what had just happened.

"N-No! I-It's fine, R-Red! Honest! I... I-I kind of liked it anyway, i-it reminded me of what my parents and grandparents did to calm me down when I was younger." Jasmine quickly said to alleviate her friend's worries, smiling slightly when she saw him looking at her with eyes that seemed a bit less apologetic then before.

"Still, sorry about that." Red stated once more as Jasmine giggled a bit, her flustered state fading as she enjoyed knowing that her newest friend was as kind as she thought he was.

"No worries, Red. N-Now come'on! My match starts soon!" She chirped as she mustered up her courage for the day and tomorrow before taking a hold of his hand, the brunette flushing a bit when she felt how strong but gentle his hand was.

Without giving him a chance to rebuttal or question her, Jasmine led him away and towards the stadium that would house her match. As the pair left the stadium, they were unaware of the prying eyes that followed the raven haired young man. The owner of one pair said eyes moved back to the Holo Caster as the cheery face of their companion soon shifted to a serious one. One nod from the person holding the device was all that was needed as the recipient of the call gained a cold glint to their eyes. The call ending, the person packed their belongings before moving to exit the lobby of the stadium, shooting one last glance towards the direction that Red and Jasmine had left before scoffing and turning away while trembling lightly.

"We finally found him, Giovanni. We won't fail this time."

The second pair of eyes seemed a bit crazed, though there was a hint of hope and apprehension in them as their owner shadowed after the running pair. Maybe, just maybe, the crimson eyed one was of her own blood, the one that the elders had foreseen? If he was, then perhaps together they could prevent what was to happen in the coming weeks. Clenching her fist tightly, she quickened her pace as she adjusted the precious cargo that she was carrying, turning to look down at the cute face of the Pokemon before offering it a tiny smile.

"Maybe he's the one, Aster. Maybe... Maybe he's the one that will set me free..."

* * *

**And tha****t's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.**


	7. Chapter 7

"Red" - Person Talking

"_Red_" - Person Thinking

**"Red"** – Pokemon Talking

**"****_Red_****"** \- Pokemon Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go**

* * *

Requisition - Chapter 7

(Scene Change: Pokemon World Tournament - Stadium F)

"W-Well, I'll be going now." Jasmine said as she offered her capped friend a timid smile, Red offering her one of his own as he gave her a supportive look.

"Battling isn't about winning or losing, it's about connecting with your Pokemon and strengthening the bond that you have with them. Just have fun and trust in your Pokemon, they'll follow you. And don't worry, there's no Shaymin losing a battle once in a Mawile, right?" Red explained with an amused smile as he moved to pat her on the head, Jasmine blushing up a storm but offering him a brighter smile and giggle as she seemed a bit more pumped up then before.

"Hehe! R-Right! T-Thanks, Red!" Chirped the brunette as she took a breath before heading onto the stadium field, feeling her tension and anxiety fluctuate as her thoughts drifted back and forth between her newest friend and the oncoming battle.

Turning once more, she saw Red still standing at the same spot from before, the raven haired young man offering her another soft smile and nod. Seeing that, the confidence that he had in her even after hearing of her rather lackluster history as a battler, she found herself steeling her resolve as she faced forward once more before stepping onto the field. The sight of Jasmine turning to see if he was still there reminded Red of a time far in the past of Leaf and himself, a soft laugh leaving his mouth when he recalled the first time they had ever stepped into a gym. Adjusting his hair and hat, he double checked that his eyes were shadowed before heading towards the stands, the young man glad to see that there were still a few empty seats in the front of the bleachers. Taking a seat, he eagerly awaited the arrival of Jasmine as more and more of the crowd poured in, the stadium roaring to life as energy and excitement filled its walls.

While waiting for Jasmine and her opponent, a brilliant idea struck Red as he quickly vacated his seat and rushed to a vendor outside the stadium selling blank canvas banners and materials to decorate them. Picking up a few blank banners and a few markers he made his way back to his seat, which was luckily still unoccupied, and hurriedly began working on a banner for his newest friend. Taking a few minutes to capture Jasmine's likeness in an almost scarily accurate manner, he took a second to observe his newest art piece before nodding proudly to himself. Setting it beside him to dry, Red began working on banners for Leaf and Blue, smiling somewhat smugly as he was sure that the moment the three caught sight of his masterpieces, they would beg him to sign them before gifting their personal banners to them. With the mental image of Leaf, Blue and Jasmine happily and proudly displaying their banners to their opponents, friends, family and Pokemon; Red worked in earnest, the minutes passing as the stadium suddenly roared to life as the match finally began.

["Ladies and gentlemen, let's get ready to greet our next set of battlers from Johto and Sinnoh! On the green side, you know him and you love him! He and his Pokemon embody the saying that 'the best defense is a good offense!' He's 'The Man with the Steel Body' and Gym Leader of Canalave City! Byron!"] Shouted the announcer as a rush of cheers passed the crowd, many spotting and calling out towards the son of the battler as Roark's embarrassment skyrocketed.

Heading onto the field was the large and ever cheerful burgundy haired man, an equally large and excited grin on his face as he offered a wave and flex every now and then. His ever charismatic display drawing more cheers and a few squeals brought even more embarrassment for Roark as the glasses wearing young man buried his face into his hands, getting wry laughs from his fellow Gym Leaders as they patted him on the back. But the youth's worries weren't for solely directed at himself, as he peeked through the gaps in his fingers towards a sinister looking haze emanating from a certain seat that was currently occupied by his mother. With said mother and wife, Ophira's face was set into a stiff smile that shone with nothing but rage and jealousy, cracking her eyes open and revealing maroon colored orbs baring the same emotions.

['And on the red side, we have a Gym Leader that still has an shroud of mystery around her even after all her appearances! A fellow Steel type expert, she's the 'Girl with a Heart Guarded by Steel,' Jasmine of Olivine City! Let's hear it for two of the most prominent Steel type trainers in the world!"] The announcer called out as the crowd cheered once more, a bit less energetic then Byron's as the ever timid form of Jasmine made her way towards the field.

Looking like a scared and trapped Pokemon, Jasmine's eyes were darting around the stadium to try and catch a glimpse of her newest friend. Managing to spot her fellow Johto Gym Leaders, she offered them and the crowd around a stiff and hesitant wave that was met with more energy then her initial debut had drawn. Squeaking a bit at the sudden roar, she jumped a bit as a soft round of laughter crossed the bleachers, crimson coloring the face of the brunette as she hurried her steps towards her side of the field. Arriving quickly, she rose her head and offered Byron her usual timid smile that was returned a hundred fold.

"Haha! Look's like we got ourselves a grand match, don't we Jasmine! I hope the audience doesn't have anything important to tend to in the next hour or so, our battling styles are pretty similar so they're in for a long show if it's going to be more then a single Pokemon each!" Byron said with a jovial and cheeky tone, Jasmine having a soft giggle leave her as she beamed the man she saw as an uncle a warm smile for helping to calm her nerves.

Grinning at the sight, he turned and offered that same grin towards their referee, the man smiling in turn as he checked both sides before nodding and touching the device mounted on his wrist. Once again, the large display above the battling field displaying the numerous battling styles and sets before the selection cursor began to randomly jump around. Watching with baited breath, the noise in the stadium dimmed to just the rapid beeping of the display as it slowly halted on a battling set that drew a mental breath of relief from Byron as the man could _feel_ the piercing gaze of a certain someone that he desperately needed to appease and quickly. Shooting a quick glance in her direction, he immediately focused once more on Jasmine as terror was but an understatement as to what he was feeling from his beloved wife.

"This match will be a one-on-one battle between Gym Leaders Jasmine of Olivine City and Byron of Canalave City, and will take place on an ice field! The match will be concluded once one's side's Pokemon are unable to continue. Now, both trainers, select your Pokemon and release them on my signal!" The referee announced as another wave of cheers washed over the stadium, Jasmine also sharing Byron's sentiments as the shorter the battle the less she'd be stared at by the populace.

The two mulling over their choices, taking in account it was a mirror match of sorts, they soon secured their battlers before turning and nodding at their referee. The man nodding in turn, he raised his flags before bringing them down as two Pokeballs sailed into the air shortly afterwards. A pair of flashes of light following after, they soon faded to reveal the forms of Byron's Aggron and Jasmine's Mawile, cheers resounding as the two Pokemon faced the other down. Though, while Aggron seemed happy and ready to battle, sharing his trainer's enthusiasm and vigor, Mawile looked fairly timid. The Steel-Fairy was clutching her hands together while her confused and wary gaze scanned the faces of the numerous people that were watching the match, only snapping from it when the opposing Pokemon moved. A gray glow covering the body of Aggron, he slammed into Mawile as a cry left her mouth. Gritting her teeth, she spun and attempted to capture the Steel-Rock type with her jaws, being a bit stunned when it quickly dove backwards to escape her grab.

"F-Fast..." Whispered Jasmine as her own Aggron wasn't even near the speed of the older Steel type Gym Leader's, Byron seeing the awed and somewhat confused gaze of the brunette as he let a jovial laugh out.

"Haha! My Aggron is pretty fast, huh! But think now, Jasmine! How can a Pokemon that's more known for its defense then speed be moving so fast?" Byron called out towards the younger Gym Leader as she flinched upon hearing the man's question, anxiously scanning his Pokemon before her eyes widened when she saw the almost mirror-like polish the Pokemon's hide possessed.

"Rock Polish... Aggron used the energy and movement from its Iron Head to use Rock Polish at the same time...!" Answered Jasmine as Byron grinned upon catching the young lady's reply, nodding his head happily and shooting her a thumbs up as she shot him a less nervous smile at his confirmation.

Calling out to Mawile in an attempt to encourage her, Jasmine tried to help direct her to calm herself before trying to catch Aggron only to feel her own self confidence start to crumble as the cheers for Byron grew and washed the cheers for herself away. Clenching her fists as she watched Aggron continue his hit-and-run strategy, Mawile helplessly trying to catch the Steel-Rock type by trying to guess when its next attack would come, Jasmine soon saw the morale and hope of Mawile falling as she shot a desperate and pleading look towards her trainer. Feeling an all too familiar surge of panic and anxiety begin to fill her, Jasmine called out for Mawile to use Flamethrower, the tiny Pokemon calming a bit upon hearing her trainer's voice. A determined glint in her eyes, she tried to spot the quick moving Pokemon before nodding and letting loose a torrent of flames from its jaw-like horn on its back.

A startled cry leaving the mouth of Aggron, instantly Mawile and Jasmine's hopes were raised as the Steel-Fairy Pokemon rushed forward as fast as her legs could carry her. Lunging at the body of the larger Pokemon with her jaws ablaze, Mawile and Jasmine pinned their hopes on the oncoming Fire Fang as Aggron roared in defiance as fire encased his fist. Meeting the Fire Fang of Mawile with a Fire Punch of his own, Aggron overpowered the maw of flames gnawing on his hand before he secured a tight grip on the lower jaw as a squeak left Mawile's mouth. Drawing his arm back, Aggron hurled Mawile back towards her side of the battling field, the smaller Pokemon crying out as she struck an outcropping of ice as it shattered upon impact. Debris covering the form of Mawile, her form was soon seen struggling to rise from the pile of ice as a murmur crossed the bleachers.

["A wicked Fire Punch from Aggron and Mawile is struggling to get up! Is this it folks, will this set the match in Byron's favor?!"]

"Wasn't this supposed to be a mirror match!? How could two trainers who specialize in the same typing be so different!?"

"Byron has this in the bag!"

"Come'on Jasmine, win one for Johto!"

"This was Sinnoh's win as soon as Jasmine showed up, lucky break for us!"

"Y-You can still come back and win this, can't you Jasmine!?"

"Aww man! Why'd Jasmine had to battle today!?"

"C-Could we tag her out for Clair or Whitney!?"

Hearing those jeers, even if they were trying to hide them by huddling in a small section near the edge of the bleachers, Jasmine felt the corners of her eyes sting with an all too familiar sensation as Byron had a frown soon cross his face. Gritting his teeth, he clenched his fists before directing a heated glare to the small section of the stands where the more cutting words were originating from. Instantly, they died as the piercing and burning gaze the older man was sending them froze them over with fear, the group quickly vacating the stadium as Byron returned to look at Jasmine with a softer and kinder pair of eyes. Aggron also halted in his assault against Mawile, the Steel-Rock type sharing the sentiments of his trainer as he urged the downed Pokemon to continue and do her best despite the obvious tears of frustration and glint of defeat that were lining her eyes. Silence soon reigned as an awkward air took place, many a tad uncomfortable and unsure what to do with the aftermath the instigators had left for them all. But, before Byron could reassure and console the brunette, a voice broke through the silence as eyes turned towards the capped young man sitting on the far side of the front row. Sitting there by himself in the corner of the front row bleacher, Red could be seen standing with one hand on the railing and the over cupping his mouth, the sight of him calling out to Jasmine causing many to do a double-take as the scene was absolutely absurd.

"Jasmine." Called out Red as the brunette flinched deeply upon hearing his voice, jumping a bit as she snapped to stare at him with her eyes wide with panic and shame.

"Remember, there's no Shaymin losing a battle once in a Mawile." Continued the capped youth with a completely stoic face and serious tone of voice, an out of place wind seemingly appearing from nowhere as silence reigned over the stadium.

Everyone blinking in disbelief at the words that left the young man's mouth, Jasmine followed suit before the full impact of his statement struck her. Trying to hold back a giggle hearing his terrible pun once more, her laughter soon broke free when she saw Red hold up a banner with an absolutely horrible drawing of what she assumed what herself, given that she could see her name written beside said drawing with rather beautiful penmanship. It was absolutely hilarious to the brunette; the awful pun, how utterly horrible Red's drawing skills were in contrast to his elegant penmanship and the fact he was sporting such a proud glint to his eyes even though his face was so stoic, it was just too much for the poor young lady. Quickly moving to cover her mouth as a choked giggle squeaked out, the brunette found herself desperately holding in a growing sea of laughter that began to bubble in her stomach. But, even for the Steel type Gym Leader, it proved to be too much as Jasmine began giggling at the contrasting scene in front of her before fully laughing when she shot another glance at Red, seeing him glow with pride as he raised the banner up a bit for her to see better.

As she happily laughed, Jasmine drew the attention of everyone watching the match as all eyes on her grew in size, all in attendance unable to believe that the normally shy and withdrawn young lady had such a graceful and beautiful laugh. Even more unbelievable then Jasmine so happily and openly laughing was the fact that the person who was making her laugh was the same person who decimated a top contender and left without saying a word the day prior. Two trainers so starkly contrasted against each other appeared to be as close as best friends, a textbook example of yin and yang. Spending a few precious seconds laughing, Jasmine finally managed to calm herself as she wiped a few stray tears from her eyes, beaming a bright smile at Red while the capped young man returned it with a small smile of his own. Patting herself on the cheeks, Jasmine took a deep breath before refocusing her attention onto the battle before her. Her eyes gaining a determined glint to them, she shot a glance at Byron as the man flinched a bit at the fire that was suddenly burning in her eyes, though a fierce and proud grin crossed his face once his stunned state passed.

"Mawile! I'm sorry, but can you keep going?" Jasmine called out to the downed Pokemon, Mawile blinking as the tone of her trainer was completely the opposite of what it was moments earlier.

Shakily turning her head towards her trainer, the Steel-Fairy type could only stare in a somewhat stunned and confused manner as the young lady that was staring at her was a completely different person then the one who had selected her to battle. There was none of the timid or anxious energy that was devouring her earlier, a refreshed and somewhat apologetic smile on her face as Jasmine directed it towards her. Snapping from her stupor, Mawile mustered up the rest of her energy as she stood once more, turning to face Byron's Aggron as the titan grinned upon seeing her stand. Taking a breath, Mawile nervously awaited her trainer trainer's orders, shooting an equally anxious glance towards Jasmine as the brunette had a softer smile grace her face.

"Sucker Punch!" Jasmine suddenly called out in a sure tone when she saw a slight twitch from Aggron's leg, Mawile flinching before she shot forward almost automatically.

Stopping short of the titan, she lashed out with her jaws as it struck cleanly against Aggron's jaw. A startled yelp leaving the larger Pokemon's mouth, Jasmine instantly went on the offensive as more and more of a relaxed air took hold of her. A soft but giddy smile on her face as she alternated to look between Red and Mawile, wincing a bit when Aggron spun and slammed an Iron Tail against the smaller Pokemon. Biting back the twinge of anxiety that wanted to spring from her heart, she mentally shook her head as she called out for the tiny Steel-Fairy type to latch onto the offending appendage with her jaws. A yelp sounding from Aggron as Mawile's jaws were set ablaze, she bit down on the tail of the titan as Aggron tried to shake the smaller Pokemon loose. Panic setting in as an uncomfortable amount of heat began to fill it, Byron's Aggron clenched its fist as fire danced on its hand once more, the Iron Armor Pokemon about to swing at Jasmine's Mawile only when a sudden surge of heat stalled its attack.

"Aggron!" Shouted Byron in a concerned tone, grimacing as his partner gained a red hue to his polished hide.

["Folks, it looks like Aggron was burned by Mawile's Fire Fang! Aggon's attacks are going to be landing a little lighter now unless it can get rid of that burn!"]

"Nice going, Mawile! Iron Head!" Yelled Jasmine as a sudden thump in Mawile's chest caused a strange and sudden surge of energy and warmth to fill her tiny body, her eyes gaining a fierce light to them as she sprinted towards the larger Pokemon with a gray glow shrouding her body as she slammed headfirst against Aggron.

Many in the stadium wincing as an audible and heavy sounding thud echoed through the stands, Arrgon flinched as he took a step back and shook his head, the impact managing to rattle his brain despite being a relatively light hit. Cracking open an eye, Aggron's eye soon widened when the sight of Mawile charging him down with her hand glowing white. Letting a cry leave her mouth as she struck the titan on the head with a heavy Brick Break, Mawile turned and landed another Sucker Punch as Aggron's mouth was quickly filled with fire. Her jaws slamming against his jaw, Aggron yelped once more as he was forced to swallow the fire that he had readied for Flamethrower, though he grit his teeth and grabbed Mawile before throwing her back to her side of the field. Dropping to a knee, the larger Pokemon began to pant a bit before wincing as the pain from its burn suddenly flared up, Aggron staring down Mawile as Byron mirrored the action as he stared at Jasmine.

_"That girl... She's really finding her stride now, isn't she! To think that the meek little __Jasmine Myron always worried about could battle like this! And it's all thanks to that guy there, isn't it?__" _Byron thought to himself with a grin on his face, shooting a glance at Red as the raven haired teen could be seen holding a small banner with terribly drawn image of what he assumed to be Jasmine on it.

Studying the young man, Byron himself began to sweat a bit as the pressure that he seemed to unconsciously exude was utterly insane. Everything about the capped man seemed fairly normal and the way he carried himself, aloof and without a care in the world, seemed like that of Cynthia but it was his eyes that drove home the difference between him and her. His eyes were like two pools of crimson that seemed to have no limit to their depths, as if the young man they belonged to had seen things that no person should have seen, survived things that no one should have survived. The eyes of the young man who had cheered Jasmine on weren't eyes that someone of his age should have, eyes that no one should ever have. Tension filling his body, Byron was feeling dubious about his intent and goals in the tournament and with Jasmine, his experience and instincts screaming at him to avoid the man by any means possible. But hidden in those depths of endless crimson, he finally saw it, saw what drew Jasmine in and allowed her to laugh so blissfully at his words of encouragement.

"You've got a good friend there, Jasmine." Byron suddenly said with a mirthful tone as Jasmine flinched a bit, her face soon burning crimson as she looked down and began to fidget a bit in embarrassment.

"M-Mhmm... W-We just met but... I-It feels like I've known Red my whole life..." Replied the brunette in a tone of equal embarrassment, though there was an unending sea of warmth to her words that brought a smile to the man's face.

With Aggron, the Steel-Rock type flashed Mawile a toothy but grimaced grin as the smaller Steel-Fairy returned it with a much more energetic and eased smile of her own. It was staggering to the two, that the Mawile that had battled at the beginning was the same as the one standing proudly in front of her trainer and not shying away. Mawile turning to look at Jasmine, she felt her heart beat harder and her desire to win burn hotter then it had ever during her time with the brunette. The tiny Pokemon shifting to look at Red, she instinctively shivered as something about the human instantly set off alarms in her head. Swallowing lightly, she shook her head and focused once more on Aggron as another grimace flashed across his face as his burn flared up once more. Gritting his teeth he pulled his arm back as a sphere of deep blue formed in his palm, the titan then slammed the sphere directly below as a large pillar of water suddenly ruptured with Aggron at its center. A surprised cry leaving Jasmine and Mawile, the two were confused and worried about Aggron as the Pokemon was half Rock type, but their worries were for naught as Byron had a wide grin on his face as a sizzling sound could be heard from the epicenter of the column of water. Before long, steam soon replaced the pillar of water as it died down, Aggron stepping out of the cloud with a wide grin on his face as Jasmine and Mawile snapped from their worried states with shock replacing it.

["Incredible folks! Looks like Aggron used Water Pulse to get rid of its burn! The match isn't over yet, let's see how much longer these battlers can keep it up!"]

"Mawile! We need to end this now! Use Focus Punch!" Ordered Jasmine as Mawile let out a cry of confirmation, rushing down Aggron while drawing her arm back.

A deep blue aura shrouding her hand, she stopped just short of the titan before slugging Aggron dead center with all of her might. Aggron's eyes bugling from her sockets, he stumbled back while clutching at his abdomen, gritting his teeth as the tiny Pokemon's punch dissipated through his body. Snapping his eyes open, his body gained a bright silver glow as Jasmine's eyes widened while Bryon grinned in turn, Aggron letting a roar leave as he unleashed the Metal Burst that he built up with Mawile's help. That silver glow suddenly turned into a harsh burst of energy that sent Mawile rocketing back with a cry leaving her mouth. Hitting the ground, she skid for a bit before stopping, the tiny Pokemon laying motionless as the referee moved to check on the fallen Pokemon. About to raise his flag, he stopped halfway when Mawile tried to force herself to stand back up, her arms shaky as she pushed against the ground. Locking her defiant eyes with Aggron, the giant shot her a proud and warm grin as the tiny Pokemon finally let herself drop after a few more seconds of trying to rise.

"Mawile is unable to continue! The winner is Aggron and the match goes to Byron!" Announced the referee as a resounding roar of applause and cheer sounded for both sides of the stadium, Jasmine rushing over as Aggron knelt down and picked up the downed Pokemon.

["And there it is folks! After a fierce and heated battle, it looks like Byron's managed to edge out Jasmine for Sinnoh's first victory! Let's give it up once more for our amazing battlers!"]

"Mawile... Thank you, you battled wonderfully. And thank you too, Aggron, for helping push her." Jasmine said in a soft and warm tone, the titan before her grinning as he gently held out the semi-conscious Pokemon for her trainer to take.

"Maw..." Whispered the Steel-Fairy type in a heartrending and self-loathing tone, instantly twisting the hearts of the two beside her as Aggron vehemently shook his head and reassured her of her battling prowess.

"Aggron is right, Mawile. You and Jasmine, while the start was rough you two really came to battle with all of your heart." Byron called out as he strode towards the trio, drawing the gazes of the three as Jasmine and Aggron shot him a pair of smiles.

"Thank you for battle and your kind words, Byron. I'll definitely work harder and next time, I'm sure that next we battle things will be different!" Vowed the younger Gym Leader in a tone of absolute sincerity, Byron flinching a bit before grinning and extending his hand towards her.

"Haha! I look forward to that day then, Jasmine!" Chuckled the man as they shook hands, the crowd going even more wild as the two departed from the field.

"Was that really Jasmine?!"

"That the guy?"

"No kidding! She was a completely different person when that guy called out to her!"

"Do you think... A-Are they dating!?"

"Mmm, let's get going."

"T-There's no other explanation, right?!"

"I-It makes total sense! The shy and quiet maiden being swept off her feet and saved by the cold and commanding hero, it just fits too well!"

"But that guy... H-He's in no way, shape or form a hero..."

Whispers passing through the crowd, Red tuned out most of them as he collected his banners and headed towards the main lobby to congratulate his friend on her battle. A small smile crossing his face with the knowledge that he was able to help a bit with Jasmine's shyness, Red was lost in though before he found himself suddenly grabbed with a rough set of hands by a pair men.

"It's good to see you again!"

"Where've you been this whole time, man!"

The two tightening their holds on him, they roughly pulled the startled and stunned young man towards an empty part of the stadium. Panic crossing his eyes, it was almost immediately replaced with a cold and terrifying glint as he grabbed the wrist of one of the men before wrenching it with an abnormal amount of force. A cry of pain leaving the man as he moved to grab Red's wrist, he found himself in a hammerlock as Red broke free from his partner's hold on him. Grunting, Red shoved the man towards his partner and pinned the two against the wall in a frightening show of strength, the two grunting and gritting as he only pushed harder and tightened his hold when they tried to break free. With such a violent event suddenly occurring, it brought about a bit of panic as numerous people pulled out their phones and devices and began to record and take photos of the scene.

"R-Red!" Cried out Jasmine as the brunette followed the crowd that had formed around the trio, nearly falling backwards when she saw her newest friend currently wrestling with the pair of men.

About to move to call for help, Jasmine froze when she caught a glimpse of the raven haired young man's eyes when he grabbed the collar of the other man before slamming him against the wall when he tried to move. The Red that she knew had honest eyes that shone with kindness, intrigue and a twinkle of childishness; nothing like the cold, oppressive and almost feral glint that she was currently seeing. The Red in front of her wasn't the Red that she had met earlier in the day, the one who had drawn such a horrible drawing yet was so proud of doing so, the one who had cheered for her even when she was battling so poorly. A cry breaking her from her frozen state, she watched in horror as Red applied more pressure to the arm of the man held in a hammerlock, almost bending it to the breaking point only to pause when a sharp whistle broke through the tense atmosphere. The crowd breaking when a number of officers and security personnel rushed towards the scene, standing ready when they caught sight of Red and the two men he was currently pinning to the wall.

"Sir! Release those men and back away slowly with your hands up!" Ordered one of the officers as he released his partner, a bark of confirmation leaving the mouth of the released Arcanine as it stared down Red.

Taking a breath, Arcanine was about a let loose a warning roar only to freeze the instant Red turned his gaze on it. The eyes staring it down didn't belong to a human, at least not any human that the Arcanine had met during the time it was alive. Those eyes belonged to a predator, an apex one, that only saw Arcanine as nothing more then an insignificant pebble on the side of a road. Anxious shakes soon wracking the canine Pokemon's body, the officer gained a dumbfounded look as did the others who had released their Pokemon to help with any erratic or sudden movements from the man. Arcanine, Granbull, Luxray, Manectric, Stoutland; all of the Pokemon who had caught the eyes of the man were reduced to a frightened state, meekly hiding beside or behind their trainers as everyone soon gained fearful and anxious expressions on their faces after seeing Pokemon trained for dealing with criminals reduced to such a state. Just as tensions were at their peak, the security personnel sharing worried and nervous expressions, a pair of voices shattered the air like a hammer breaking a pane of glass.

"Red!"

The voices of Leaf and Blue snapping Red from his own defensive and instinctual stupor, he blinked and looked at the pale faced men currently sweating bullets before releasing them. The men falling onto their rears and scrambling away, they sprinted out of the stadium as if the devil were on their tails. Watching them go, Red's eyes sharped once more before dulling when he was beset by Leaf and her panicked fretting, Blue heading over with a concerned and sharp look of his own.

"Red! Are you okay?! Did they hurt you!? What did they want?! Y-You're not hurt, right!?"

"You alright? Didn't look like friends of yours."

The two asked as Red shook his head in the negative, Leaf and Blue shooting a glance towards the direction the men had fled. Following after the two, a couple of officers and their partner Pokemon were hot on their trails, the Stoutland leading them having picked up a scent that was left by a hat one of the men had dropped in their haste to escape. Seeing the distraught and worried expressions currently resting on the faces of the two, he offered them a small smile in an effort to break them from their anxious states. His smile grew a tad larger when they sighed before moving to pat him on the back, or embrace him in Leaf's case, when they saw that he wasn't harmed or shaken by the event. But that peace didn't last long as when their worries, passed next came Leaf and Blue's anger as they struck him upside the head. Wincing, Red shot the two a betrayed and confused look as they merely glared at him, motioning with their eyes at the crowd he had created with his reckless action. Stiffening, he fell back to his usual defensive and cold mask as he shot the people around him an equally cold gaze that scattered the crowd, leaving only the officers and security personnel as they cautiously moved towards him.

"S-Sorry sir, but you need to come with us." Stated the leader of the current assortment of law enforcement personnel in a slightly nervous tone, gulping a bit when Red turned to look at him with those ruthless eyes.

But his worries were lifted slightly when Red's eyes softened, nodding his head as they moved to follow after the man as him and his team led Red towards the main security building on the tournament grounds. Though, Red wasn't alone as Leaf was adamantly clutching onto his arm with her eyes scanning each and every person that came into view with a critical eye, Blue sighing at her behavior as he apologized to the poor men and women being scared off by her uncanny gaze. Laughing wryly, the officers escorting the trio held their tongues as Blue's gaze towards any unknown person was equally if not more frightening then Leaf's. But just as they were about to exit the stadium, they were stopped when a brunette approached the group, setting off alarms in the minds of Leaf and Blue as they moved towards their oldest partners. But they were set at ease when Red smiled at the newcomer, her eyes lined with nothing but worry as she glanced between the officers currently standing between the raven haired youth and herself.

"Excuse me, but could she come with us?" Asked Red in a polite and soft tone, instantly breaking a portion of the image that the officers had built of him in their minds.

"U-Uh, I'm not sure that's a good idea, sir. This isn't a party, we're going to be bringing you in for questioning." Replied the leader in a somewhat confused tone, though he straightened out his tone and stood a bit straighter as he shot Red a serious look.

"B-But Red didn't do anything wrong! T-They grabbed him first!" Exclaimed Jasmine in earnest as she took a step forward, Leaf instantly taking a defensive stance as she scanned the brunette head to toe.

"Hmm... W-Well since you seem like you've witnessed the incident, I'll allow it miss Jasmine. But this could affect your match, you might miss it if you come with us." Warned the man as Jasmine brightened up a bit, hurriedly nodding her head as she quickly moved to stand beside Red as a tinge of red colored her face.

Sighing at the sight, though a few of the men suddenly and strangely felt an overwhelming amount of envy for the youth, the group moved towards the security office with Red introducing Jasmine to Leaf and Blue. While Blue seemed to get along fine with the brunette, Blue likening her to a much more friendly version of Red to the man's ire, Leaf seemed to a bit cold to the Steel type Gym Leader.

"S-So you're all really childhood friends?" Asked Jasmine with stars in her eyes, unable to believe that she was actually speaking with the prodigies of Kanto many had spoken about during her tenure as a student in Johto's foremost trainer school.

"Mhmm, doesn't look like it, huh? But believe it or not, we were all rivals back in the day, though I managed to beat these two out by a bit. I managed to become Champion way before the two of them." Blue quipped with pride as he puffed out his chest, Jasmine gasping in shock while Leaf and Red gained dead looks to their eyes.

"Don't believe this idiot, Jasmine. Only reason he became Champion was because I didn't bother even challenging the League. If I did, well, let's just say that our current win-loss record would be a _lot_ more skewed towards me then it _currently_ is." Added Leaf with a sneer and a snide tone of voice, Blue's eye twitching as he moved to bring his forehead against her own as lightning began to spark between them.

"Right, cause you're _so _much better then me! Remember, you're only up by one, Leaf!" Snapped the man in an irate tone, Blue's twitch only growing when the smug expression on the woman's face grew as she released Red to push back against his forehead.

"That's right, _I'm_ up by one! _Me_! Not. You." Sneered the the woman as Blue's anger and irritation seemed to double, Red sighing as he turned towards a wide eyed and somewhat frightened Jasmine as Leaf poked Blue's cheeks in a haughty manner.

"Don't worry, they're always like this." Said the raven haired young man in a somewhat resigned tone, moving to pat Jasmine on the head as a squeak of surprise left her.

"Be quiet, Red! Just cause you're ahead in wins doesn't mean anything, you big idiot!"

"Shut up, Red! Don't think that you're going to be thrashing us like when we were kids!"

A startled yelp leaving Jasmine when the two brunettes turned to snap at Red with vexation and irritation in their tones, she clutched the hand currently patting her head to her chest as her heart hammered in her chest. The sight instantly stalled the mind of Leaf as she blinked at the sight before quickly securing Red's free arm for herself, shooting Jasmine a challenging glare while Blue sighed as he calmed himself down. Awkwardly leading and surrounding the four were the officers who were doing their best to avoid eye contact with any of them, not wanting to add to the already uncomfortable atmosphere. That awkward and somewhat strained air followed the group until they reached the security office, the leader leading Red and Jasmine to a secure room for a brief rundown of what they had experienced and witnessed. Watching them leave, Leaf and Blue dropped their casual and worried expressions, their faces growing fierce and calculating as they turned to face each other.

"Those two guys, you thinking what I'm thinking?" Asked Blue in a tone that held nothing but tension and apprehension, Leaf clenching her fists tightly as as she knit her brows together in a mix of anger and disbelief.

"I really hope that we're wrong. We took care of them when we were all kids, we helped crush what was left of them Johto and you and I made sure that everything that was related to them in the Sevii Islands was reduced to dust." Leaf said through grit teeth, Blue's eyes softening as he moved to pat the other brunette on the back.

"We both know that the only reason that guy hasn't shown his face was because he was looking for Red. The fact that guy made such a scene during his first public battle in over decade didn't do much to help him." Blue added with a mirthless chuckle, Leaf cracking a tiny smile as she shook her head at the memory.

"Only thing we can do now is wait and hope that they've grown enough brains to not show their faces. I was hoping for things to stay peaceful, like they they have for the past few years." Leaf whispered in a light tone, her eyes shining with a fond glint while letting her head drop slightly.

"Don't worry. The two of us were able to take them on, with Red here, well... Let's just say, it's gonna be like me putting out a campfire with Blastoise." Blue reassured the brunette with a larger smile on his face, Leaf giggling as she could only agree with his comparison.

"Still... For his sake and ours, I hope they don't show..." Leaf muttered with a tone that held a twinge of fear, Blue instantly understanding when he recalled the eyes of his best friend when they arrived earlier.

Shivers ran down the spines of the two when they caught sight of Red's eyes when he was pinning the two men to the wall, Blue and Leaf not even taking into account the fact he was easily overpowering two grown men with ease. While Leaf was worried about had her beloved had endured during his tenure on Mt. Silver, Blue was keenly aware of the hell that Red had experienced during his decade of solitude. What Blue had seen was clearly Red acting on instinct and going on the defensive which, for Blue's crimson eyed best friend, was an overwhelming offense. If the two brunettes' predictions were right about who those two men were working, then there would only be chaos and devastation when should they chose to act. Letting a sigh leave him, Blue refocused on the door that Red had been escorted through, letting his mind run through a few of the many potential scenarios that could play out during the coming weeks of the tournament.

(Time Skip - Half An Hour Later)

(Scene Change: Pokemon World Tournament - Main Security Office)

"I see... Your story matches up with what the cameras caught in the stadium and with what miss Jasmine had claimed to have witnessed, sir. I'm sorry to have taken so much of your time." Stated the leader of the officers who had apprehended Red, the older man bowing his head while Red waved him off with a somewhat flustered expression on his face.'

Turning to Jasmine, he silently pleaded with the brunette to help him with the man's earnest apology, only getting a giggle in turn as Jasmine shook her head in the negative. Seeing his newest friend abandon him to his fate, Red mentally sighed as he tried to reassure the man bowing towards him that he was just properly doing his job, the captain not raising his head until Red reluctantly accepted his apology.

"Thank you, sir! You're free to leave, but would you like to stay here for a while just in case? Who knows if those two men or their friends are going to pull something like this again. Or if you're more comfortable, do you want a few of my men to watch your back for a day or two?" Asked the captain as Red once more shook his head in the negative, the older man letting a somewhat sullen sigh leave as he was secretly hoping that Red would accept and stay or allow him to shadow such a powerful feeling trainer in the hopes of gaining some insight about his strength.

Finishing up the paperwork for the whole ordeal, which was finished after another ten minutes, Red and Jasmine were walking beside Leaf and Blue as the quartet chatted about what had happened during their questioning. Seeing as there wasn't much to go off on, Leaf and Blue shot Red a look that he immediately recognized, the crimson eyed man nodding his head as they mirrored it before turning to chat with Jasmine once more before she felt left out of the strange exchange. It wasn't long before the four were settled in the main concession area of the tournament grounds; the sounds of people and Pokemon laughing and playing, pots and pans clanging and sizzling taking a firm hold on the warm and lively sector.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Red suddenly said after swallowing one of the many sticks of fried funnel cake he was currently hording, cautously setting down his delectable treats while shooting the three an equally wary gaze.

"Settle down, no one's going to take your food." Blue sighed as he took a bite of his hotdog, his irritation only growing when Red's wariness grew at his dubious words.

"You said the same thing before taking the last s'more when we were nine." Red snapped back at him as Blue's anger nearly blew its lid, the man lunging at before shaking Red by the collar of his shirt.

"Y-You're still holding a grudge about that!? Damn it, Red, stop being so petty!" Roared Blue as Red broke free of the man before locking him in a headlock, Blue struggling violently as Red soon gained a bit of a pout as the brunette struck one of his weakest and most embarrassing faults.

"S-Should we help?" Jasmine asked in a meek and anxious tone, scooting a bit away from the two arguing men as Leaf shook her head with an exasperated expression on her face.

"Just leave them, they've always been like then since we were kids. Red's always held grudges over the tiniest things and Blue's always been an idiot who makes things worse." Leaf said tiredly while munching on a fry, her words casing both Red and Blue to freeze as they turned to glare at her.

"Right. Says the girl who always abandoned her best friends whenever they got in trouble."

"Leaf still owes me for eating the cupcake my mom made for me when we were seven."

Choking on the fry as crimson colored her face, Leaf quickly gulped down a mouthful of water before turning to shout at the two. Watching the three begin to argue with each other, Jasmine felt a bit out of place and began to wonder if she was really welcome to such a tightly knit group. That sentiment only grew when the insults that were being thrown around became less sharp, the anger that was on their faces melting to joy as laughter replaced shouting. Wiping away a tear from his eye, Blue grinned as Leaf and Red mirrored the action; the three letting a content sigh leave them as Jasmine could only stare on with envy and melancholy coloring her face.

"It must be wonderful to have such close friends, huh." Muttered the brunette under her breath, offering the three a small smile as they turned to look at Red.

"So, what were you saying earlier? About forgetting somethin?" Asked Blue in a curious tone, Red smiling somewhat proudly as he handed the trio their custom made banners.

"Ah! That's the banner that you were holding, Red!" Gushed Jasmine as she remembered the piece of canvas he had proudly displayed during her match, Jasmine taking it before happily opening it.

As soon as she gazed on that piece of canvas, she let out a laugh that she hadn't meant to let leave. Quickly clamping a hand over her mouth, she tried to hold in her laughter as the picture looked far worse up close then it did from afar. It wasn't even close to what she looked like, Jasmine unable to hold in her laughter any longer as a string of laughter escaped with tears beginning to line her eyes. Watching the scene with eyes full of disbelief and shock, Red snapped to look at Leaf and Blue as their faces were flushed and their teeth grit tight to stop their own laughter from breaking free. Snickers soon leaving the two, they turned away and clenched the banners in their hands tightly as the knowledge that their dear childhood friend was still the absolutely terrible artist they remembered was a comforting one.

It was almost unbelievable just how awful of an artist he was when his handwriting could rival his battling with how elegant and beautiful it was, the toddler-grade pictures strewn beside their names only making them laugh harder as the two were unable to hold their laughter any longer. A pout soon crossing Red's face, he began to silently sulk and fume as the three continued to laugh at his heartfelt gifts to them, the poor raven haired youth letting his head drop as the three tried to reign in their laughter. Before long, they were back to their usual selves, though Red was opting to ignore the three to their distress and irritation; only breaking when Leaf and a coerced Jasmine made a grab for one of the many snacks that he was hording. Once that tiny and rather hectic scene passed, the four were back to their usual selves, Jasmine happily fitting into their small and somewhat dysfunctional family before the time to depart came.

"W-Well, I'll be going now. There's a meeting for the Gym Leaders in Johto soon that I need to get to." Jasmine told the three in a sullen tone, Leaf shaking her head as she patted the young woman in a reassuring manner.

"Don't sweat it, Jasmine! You've got our numbers! Just give any of us a call and we'll be there!" Chirped the brunette as Jasmine brightened up considerably, happily nodding her head as she bid the three farewell.

"I'm surprised that you got along with her." Quipped Blue as the man turned to stare at her from the corner of his eyes, Leaf shaking her head with a tiny smile on her face as she shot him a knowing look.

"Same here. But she reminded me of Red, I just couldn't leave her alone or shoo her away." Leaf replied with a somewhat wry tone, Blue snickering as she shared the sentiments of his brunette companion.

"So, Team Rocket is back, hmm." Red said in a frigid tone, instantly killing the amiable atmosphere as the three shared sharp gazes with each other.

"What's the plan, Blue?" Asked Leaf as she cracked her knuckles, the brunette narrowing his eyes as he shook his head in the negative.

"For right now, nothing. As much as I want to crush them before anyone gets involved, it'd be best to avoid provoking them any more then Red may have. It ain't favorable, but it's the smartest thing to do at this point. Alerting or tipping off anyone else would only cause stress and tension for the higher ups, the tournament is supposed to be a time of unity and fun not a time to be worrying about the possibility of some criminal organization from the past attacking." Stated the young man as Leaf and Red grit their teeth, bitterly nodding their heads at their best friend's reasoning.

"Should we let any one else know?" Asked Red in a worried tone, Blue reluctantly shaking his head as a sullen sigh left the man.

"Who knows who is working for them right now. Even if we told my gramps or any of the people we know we can trust, who knows if the ones who they tell will be working for them. Best to just keep it to ourselves until something big happens." Added Blue as the two nodded their heads, sighs leaving them before they moved to throw away their trash and recyclables.

Sharing a few more brief words, Leaf and Blue departed to their own matches, Red deciding to look around for any suspicious individuals or activity before his own match. The three agreeing to meet up once more for dinner to discuss their plans for the sudden appearance of Team Rocket, they could all be seen with muddled expressions on their usual calm and collected faces. As Red passed by a vendor selling cotton candy, he paused when his Xtransceiver rang, the raven haired man narrowing his eyes when he saw that it was an unknown number.

["..."]

["..."]

Silence and static was all that was heard and seen on the other line before a sound of someone smirking in satisfaction could be heard, the line going dead as Red clenched his fist tightly. Checking his call log, he tried to redial the number only to see that it was dead and disconnected. A grunt of frustration leaving him, his eyes burned with an eerie and unsettling glow as he headed towards the stadium where his next match was being held. Many giving the young man a wide berth, they gulped and adverted their gazes when they caught sight of his frightening eyes, the trip to the stadium taking no time at all without any distractions. Heading straight to the waiting room, he took a seat and awaited the call for his match, Red moving his hand towards his Pokeballs while letting his eyes close in an effort to calm himself.

(Scene Change: Pokemon World Tournament - Stadium A)

(Time Skip - Fifteen Minutes Later)

["Ladies and gentlemen! Let's give it up for our next set of battlers! Battling in the green corner and representing Hoenn, he's a former top contender for the Champion title who retired to help his father further his research on the behavior of Pokemon in the wild, let's go wild for Brendan Birch of Littleroot Town!"]

"May, look! It's Brendan!" Max gushed as he stared with shining eyes at the young man lightly patting his cheeks down on the field, May's eyes also gaining a glint as she shouted at him.

"Brendan! Hey! Good luck out there!" Yelled the brunette with vigor, drawing the attention of Ash and their companions as they blinked.

"W-What, you two know a top contender for Champion!?"

Shouted Ash, Serena, Dawn, Iris, Bonnie and Clemont in unison; startling the two Maple children as they shared sheepish expressions. Quickly running down memory lane, of how they were childhood friends of sorts, Ash gained a determined glint to his eyes as he followed the young man below. Roars and cheers resounding from the crowd, a Brendan with his signature white cap could be seen stepping onto the field with his eyes sharp and focused. Taking a deep breath, he let out his stress and worries as he ran his hands across his partners, nodding mentally as he stood at the ready for his opponent.

["And his opponent battling in the red corner! He made quite the stir during his first match, representing Kanto, give it up for Red of Pallet Town!"]

Just like the last time, the cheers and roars died down as an eerie silence drifted around the stadium grounds. Walking with eyes sharper then they usually were, Red quickly locked onto his opponent and nodded slightly when he saw Brendan's potential. Stepping onto his side's trainer box, Red and Brendan were staring each other down as the referee stepped onto the field. Looking at both trainers, the young woman was shaking with excitement as they were both powerful trainers on their own, the match that would be taking place would no doubt be an amazing one. Shaking her head to help focus, she nodded as raised her arm before starting the selection for the field and style of battle.

"This match will be a two-on-two battle between trainers Red of Pallet Town and Brendan of Littleroot Town, and will take place on a rock field! The match will be concluded once one's side's Pokemon are unable to continue and substitutions are not allowed. Now, trainers, select your Pokemon and release them on my signal!" The referee announced as wave of cheers suddenly washed over the stadium, the two young men having never broken their gazes until they turned to look at their Pokemon.

Mulling over the thought, Brendan selected his pair with the most diversity for battles, turning to shoot a quick glance at Red before nodding at the referee. With Red, the young man ran his fingers across his set of Pokeballs when one of them twitched slightly, the crimson eyed youth nodding as he settled on the eager Pokemon inside. Shooting a gaze at the referee, he nodded as well before the woman raised both of her flags. Giving the two men a quick look before bringing her flags down, two Pokeballs flying into the air before two flashes of white light illuminated the field. A confident cry leaving the mouth of Brendan's Castform, the tiny Pokemon drew cheers and gushes from the audience as it happily danced about and showed its love for people. But an earth shaking roar froze the amiable atmosphere as Red's Blastoise unveiled his cannons and scanned the grounds for his opponent, narrowing his eyes on Castform as the tiny Pokemon shuddered a bit at the fierce and somewhat feral glint to the titan's eyes.

["Looks like Brendan is going with his Castform! Castform as well known for being able to manipulate the weather to suit their needs, will that be enough for the tiny Pokemon to topple Red and his monstrous Blastoise!"]

"Sunny Day!" Shouted Brendan as Castform quickly shook of its initial fear, letting loose a cry as she let loose a bright orb of light into the sky.

Quickly, the temperature rose as the sun seemed to shine even brighter then it did before. Blastoise narrowed his eyes as the sudden increase in sunlight allowed Castform to change her form, the Sunny form coming into view as electricity began to crackle and dance around the body of the tiny Pokemon. A cry leaving her mouth, Castform let loose a wicked Thunderbolt that struck without issue, Blastoise letting a sound of surprise leave him as the sudden and quick attack exceeded the expectations of the titan. But after that surprise passed, irritation followed as Blastoise trained his cannons on the Weather Pokemon. A cry leaving his mouth, he let loose a powerful Hydro Pump that tore through the stream of electricity, taking both Castform and Brendan by surprise as they didn't hear a single command or see a signal for such an attack.

"Quick Castform, protect!" Ordered the brunette as his tiny partner yelped and shrouded herself in a shell of pale green, crying in surprise as she was still sustaining tiny bits of damage despite the shell of defense by the power the Hydro Pump held.

"The heck is up with that power..." Muttered Marlon with wide eyes, gulping slightly as he was unable to break his gaze away from the Blastoise currently gouging the earth with its hydro cannons.

"Remarkable... That young man's Pokemon, they're simply monstrous." Added Juan as he was leaning over the edge of his seat, using a monocular to better study the size and shape of the Water type battling.

"The power of that Blastoise... It may just rival that of mine, Mega Evolved..." Whispered Siebold in a tone that held trace amounts of disbelief and astonishment, clutching the Mega Stone embedded in his tie.

Confusion was running through the minds of everyone as a Water type attacks under a Sunny Day were reduced to about half of their normal power, the fact that the Hydro Pump from Red's Blastoise was able to damage a Protect-clad Pokemon spoke volumes of the power that the giant held. Before long, the defensive shell cracked and soon shattered as Castform was sent flying back as the torrent of water broke through its barrier. Frowning at the sight of Castform still conscious and able to battle, Blastoise shot an apologetic look towards Red as the raven haired young man shook his head with a small smile on his face, gesturing with his eyes towards Castform the Weather Pokemon rushed forward with her eyes glowing blue. Caution coloring the face of Blastoise, he stiffened before smirking slightly as he was forced to retract his cannons as the Disable cast by Castform affected him without issue, the Water type bringing his arm back as a sphere of bright blue energy soon formed. A roar leaving the mouth of the titan, Blastoise let loose the Focus Blast he had built up as it sped towards Castform, the sphere shredding the top layer of rock as it picked up speed.

"Castform, use Ominous Wind and send that Focus Blast off course!" Yelled Brendan with sweat beginning to drip down the side of his face, the tiny Pokemon yelping as she quickly spun and released a spiral of purplish wind that wasn't able to completely reflect the speeding orb.

Clipping Castform, a wince crossed her face as she and her trainer watched the sphere impact and explode, creating a disturbingly large crater as the two and the other in the audience paled a bit at the power the Shellfish Pokemon possessed. Wincing, Castform shot a look at her trainer as Brendan grimaced but nodded, the Weather Pokemon nodding as her eyes began to glow once more. Not wanting to be on the receiving end of whatever she was planning, Blastoise kicked off the ground as the earth beneath his foot was ripped apart. Closing the distance between Castform and himself as quickly as he could, Blastoise braced himself when he saw Castform's eyes lose their blue glow. When the attack he was bracing himself for failed to come, Blastoise narrowed his eyes as he stopped before the tiny Pokemon with his fist shrouded in a bright blue glow. Letting a roar leave his throat, he slugged the smaller Pokemon with a charged Focus Punch, sending Castform rocketing back before cratering the wall of the stadium. When the dust cleared, she could be seen with swirls for eyes, completely unconscious as Brendan recalled her.

"Castform is unable to continue, the winner is Blastoise!" Announced the referee as she raised her red flag, the crowd cheering loudly as Brendan secured his next battler.

["Looks like the first round goes to Red and his Blastoise! Will Brendan be able to turn this around!? Blastoise doesn't look very tired and if Red's Venusaur is anything to go off of, it won't be an easy Pokemon to beat!"]

"Sceptile, I need you!" Shouted Brendan as he released the Grass type, a cry leaving the mouth of the Forest Pokemon as he leveled a gaze at Blastoise.

The two titans staring each other down, Blastoise was about to move only for a strange rift in space to suddenly appear beside him. Confusion coloring his face, he was suddenly stuck by the Future Sight that Castform has set up just before her defeat. Quickly bringing his arms up to shield his face, Blastoise was soon beset by a beam of psychic energy that actually forced the titan to take a small half-step back. Grunting as he endured the brunt of the psychic assault, Sceptile rushed forward with the leaves of his wrists extended with the use of Leaf Blade. Closing the distance within seconds, Sceptile let loose a relentless assault as Blastoise winced under the super effective blows, the Grass type smirking as he increased the ferocity of his strikes.

["Looks like Blastoise is being pushed back! Brendan has trained his Sceptile well, folks! That speed and the power of its Leaf Blade is simply astounding!"]

"Go Brendan! Show that guy just how powerful Hoenn is!" Shouted Max as he leaned over the railing, drawing wry and embarrassed looks from his friends.

"Ho? That boy's Sceptile is quite the specimen. A few more years and it'll be quite the Pokemon." Ramos quipped as he took in the form and shape of the leaves of the Pokemon's tail, nodding approvingly with a smile crossing his face.

"Red might be in trouble, the Sceptile is very well trained." Erika said in an anxious tone as she clasped her hands together, noting the sheen and color of the Forest Pokemon as it turned to slam its tail into Blastoise.

"It'll be fine, Erika. That Blastoise of his... I could only dream of having one like it." Quipped Misty as she took in the numerous scars and the discoloration of the titan's body, her eyes shining when she saw the fire and fierce smirk that was currently on the Water type's face.

A shout of defiance leaving Blastoise, he caught Sceptile by his tail, the Grass type making a noise of surprise when he felt his feet leave the ground. Yanking his arm back, the Shellfish Pokemon tossed Sceptile back to his side of the field, Sceptile easily landing on his feet as he snapped around to stare at Blastoise. But all he got in turn was a a Skull Bash to the abdomen, spittle and saliva leaving his mouth. Landing on his own feet, Blastoise drew his arm back as an icy mist shrouding his hand, the titan letting a roar leave him as he slugged the Forest Pokemon across the face with a heavy Ice Punch. Crying as the side of his face that was struck froze partially, Sceptile snarled as he drew his arm back and retaliated with a heavy Leaf Blade, slicing into Blastoise's face as a small splash of crimson flew into the air. Grinning as the Grass type was actually able to pierce his hide, Blastoise threw all restraint out the window as Sceptile seemed more then happy to oblige, the two simply standing there as they took turns striking each other with blows that would have dropped weaker Pokemon.

Before long, there were two sides of the stadium cheering for either of the two battlers, shouts of encouragement and perseverance echoing through its walls as many felt themselves holding their breaths awaiting the outcome. Those breaths finally left as Sceptile dropped to his knees, panting heavily as he weakly craned his head upwards to glare at the bloody face of Blastoise, the Water type bearing a wide grin as he nodded towards the Grass type. A weak laugh leaving Sceptile's mouth mouth, he shook his head incredulously before falling face first into the ground. Blastoise offering the fallen Pokemon a look of praise, he turned to shoot a sheepish look towards his trainer as Red sighed while shaking his own head. Snapping from her stupor, the referee quickly moved to raise her flag as Brendan moved onto the field to check on his oldest friend.

"Sceptile is unable to continue! The winner is Blastoise and the match goes to Red of Pallet Town!" She announced as the crowd took a second to catch up before they erupted in cheer and applause, Red turning it out as he strode towards Blastoise before wiping away the streaks of blood that covered his face.

["And Red is the victor, folks! Just how far will this rising star go!? What other Pokemon does this young man have and what surprises will he bring!?"]

"How... Brendan had the type advantage and his Sceptile is one of the strongest ones I've seen..." Whispered Max in a tone of disbelief, the others consoling the youth as Ash and Gary were shooting the capped young man a look filled with a strange mix of emotion.

"That was a once in a lifetime match, thanks. That Blastoise of yours... Just how did you train it?" Brendan asked curiously and in awe as he helped support Sceptile, the Grass type shooting Blastoise one more challenging look that the titan returned with a smirk on his face.

"It took a while. Your Sceptile, it's strong. You're a great trainer." Red answered with a small smile on his face, offering his hand as Brendan blinked before grinning as he reached over to shake the older man's hand.

"I won't lose next time!" Declared Brendan as Sceptile mirrored his declaration, the four sharing one more look before the two trainers returned their Pokemon.

Heading back into the red corner's waiting room, Red paused and shot a glance towards a man in the upper area of the stadium stands. As if he was waiting for Red to notice him, he merely smirked before turning and exiting, the crimson eyed youth narrowing his eyes before leaving himself. Taking a single step into the waiting room, Red was instantly grabbed before he was drawn into the bountiful chest of a woman. Confusion, embarrassment and panic filling him, he tried to free himself only to pause when he smelt the nostalgic and comforting scent of his mother, the raven haired youth looking up and seeing the woman that took the seat of the most important person of his life.

"You battled great out there, Red!" Gushed Scarlet as she tightened her embrace on her treasure, Red growing hot in the face as he began to notice the numerous stares from the others in the room.

"M-Mom, please stop." Whimpered the young man as Scarlet giggled before letting him go, Red letting a sigh of relief leave as he rose to offer his mother a warm and loving smile.

"When did you get here?" Asked Red as his mother latched onto his arm, the pair heading over to a healing station as Scarlet recounted her past few days of traveling and taking in the sights.

It wasn't long that the two were happily laughing and smiling as they found a small table to talk at, Scarlet having prepared a lunch box for the two of them to share. Watching them with eyes wide with disbelief and confusion was Zinnia, the Lorekeeper unable to believe that it was really the woman from the few photos that her grandmother had. Her surprise and muddled state of mind allowing her emotions and instinct to take hold, she soon found herself standing before Scarlet and Red, Zinnia only snapping from her stupor when she felt their eyes on her person. Her eyes sharp, she to speak only to find her words frozen in her throat when Red's eyes were sharper and colder then anything she had seen before. The air around him, and in turn her, was almost suffocating, Zinnia finding it hard to even take a breath as he moved between his mother and herself.

"Red, sweetie, calm down." Scarlet said in an even tone, her face calm but her eyes shining with a strange glint to him as she scanned the young lady in front of her from head to toe.

Heeding her words, Red relented and eased the intensity of the stare he was sending the unknown woman who had suddenly appeared and was silently glaring at his mother. Zinnia took a shaky breath as she took a step back from the frightening young man who couldn't be any older then herself, bringing her defenses up as she returned to look at Scarlet. She could see it in the eyes of the older woman, the glint of recognition and familiarity that shone in her eyes. That was all that Zinnia needed to see to know that the woman in front of her was the "deserter" that a few of the elders whispered about in the shadows of her home.

"You must be Higana's granddaughter." Said Scarlet in that same level tone, Zinnia clenching her fists as all doubts that she had about the pair in front of her were eliminated.

"...Yes, my name is Zinnia. And that must mean, you two are both Draconid people like me." Whispered the raven haired young lady with deep emotion coloring her voice, shaking slightly as Scarlet' eyes softened seeing her reaction.

"Let's talk somewhere a little more quiet, Zinnia. Red, can you go get something light for her to eat? And some tea if you don't mind. I'll send you the room we'll be talking in when we find it." Requested Scarlet in a soft tone, Red nodding somewhat hesitantly as he released Pikachu.

"Watch over mom, Pikachu." Ordered the crimson eyed young man as he scratched the Electric type behind his ears, Pikachu giving him a nod in the positive before shooting Zinnia a wary and defensive look.

Red departing to follow his mother's request, Pikachu hopping onto Scarlet's shoulder as the older woman smiled gently and scratched his ears softly. Turning to offer Zinnia that same smile as the younger lady remained as stoic as she could, though the small shakes of her shoulders and fists spoke of how she felt inside. The pair heading to find an empty room to talk, they were unaware of the man who snapped a photo of Red from the shadows of the lobby. Checking the photo, he fixed his hat before moving to shadow the women as they exited the stadium and headed towards one of the many cafes that had temporarily popped up during the tenure of the tournament. Pulling out his phone, he dialed a number and checked his watch, nodding as he let a bit of distance grow between him and the two he was pursuing.

["This is Six, currently following his mother and their acquaintance as subject has left them alone. Eight, keep eyes on him and report if he's less then fifty yards from me. I'll report their location when they arrive so the rest of you be ready to move when I do, we'll need to be quick about this."]

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.**


	8. Chapter 8

"Red" - Person Talking

"_Red_" - Person Thinking

**"Red"** – Pokemon Talking

**"****_Red_****"** \- Pokemon Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go**

* * *

Requisition - Chapter 8

(Scene Change - Unknown Location)

"How's the search going?"

"S-Sir! W-We've found him! One of our scouts managed to return and confirmed your suspicions! It's just as you predicted!"

"Hmm... Then explain how that Pokemon managed to find him from this side?"

"W-We don't know, sir! We speculate that since its mental abilities are far above that of even the strongest Psychic type Pokemon and accounting for its bond with him, it most likely went out to find him as it was last seen heading to Mt. Silver. It probably entered that rift on its own after locking onto him and exited onto that plane. We may be able to drag them back to this plane since we've managed to place a tracer on him, but it'll take some time and a significant amount of energy."

"Hmm... Let's see how much energy it will take if we try pulling him. If it exceeds more then a quarter, cancel it. Though we've found him and can trace him, we can't be reckless and act on impulse. It's taken over a decade and I will not allow any errors now that he's within reach."

"Yes sir!"

The admin rushing away to relay the orders that he had received, the man looked at the enlarged photo that the scout they had sent out had returned with. There he was, the sworn enemy of the man currently glaring at the photo with nothing but disdain and hatred burning in his eyes. Moving to tap the touch pad on his right, the screen swapped over as a number of men could be seen soon appearing in a video conference. Seeing that they were all forcibly removed from their personal calls, they glared at the man as he stood unflinchingly in front of them all.

"Gentlemen, I take it that you've acquainted yourselves with each other?"

"Cut to the chase."

"Enough with your false pleasantries."

"Speak."

"It would implore you to explain yourself further."

"Quickly, out with it!"

"I've found the location of an... Old friend of mine. As I have previously stated, only I have the means to return you to where you belong and will do so if you lend me your aid. Not only will you return to where you belong, but if it's within my power to do so, I will offer my hand as well should you need it."

Silence soon reigned over the group of men as they could be seen with complex emotions either on their faces or in their eyes, mulling over the offer before slowly nodding their heads as they saw no alternative to their current situation. Seeing that, the man at the center of the meeting smirked before nodding in confirmation. Quickly stating that they would convene at a later date to construct and flesh out a plan for the future. Cutting the meeting short, the man let a sigh leave him as he rubbed his eyes, a fierce grin soon cutting across his face as he relished the feeling he was currently experiencing.

"It's been ten years, Red... To think you were hiding there of all places..."

(Scene Change - Driftveil City: Main Airport)

"Whoa! So this is Driftveil City! It's pretty awesome!" A scruffy haired young man exclaimed as he stared at the bustling city with shining eyes, a sigh coming from his said as a peach haired ponytailed young lady could be seen holding a suitcase.

"Don't go off on your own, Leon. Remember that we're here with the others representing Galar for the first time." The young lady warned Leon as he laughed in turn, glancing over at the others as they were also admiring the sights.

Gathered at Driftveil's airport was the representatives of the Galar region; its fledgling Gym Leaders, Professors, Champion and their families. Leon, Sonia, Milo, Nessa, Kabu, Bea, Allister, Opal, Gordie, Melony, Piers and Raihan were all taking in the sights as the sounds of battle could be heard echoing from the tournament grounds. His eyes lighting up, Leon was about to take off when his shoulders were grabbed by both Sonia and Raihan, the two sighing in relief as they just barely avoided disaster.

"Please try to contain yourself, Champion Leon. The chairman Rose and yourself will be representing all of Galar, it would be best to be as dignified as possible." The calm faced Oleana stated as Leon's shoulders drooped a bit, a hearty laugh coming from the older man beside him as he patted Leon on the back.

"It's fine, Oleana! It's our first time partaking in the Pokemon World Tournament after all! Most of these young people haven't stepped outside of Galar, so let them explore a bit, we've plenty of time!" Chairman Rose said with a chuckle, the eyes of many of the group shining as the brunette sighed as she relented.

"Alright then, all of you may go off and explore the city but be sure to arrive at Stadium A no later then an hour and a half from now! If you get lost, contact myself, Chairman Rose, Miss Oleana or ask one of the officials at the grounds of Pokemon Center. And above all else, have fun and be safe." Professor Magnolia stated as she got a sound of approval from the gathered group, the woman sighing as she saw her granddaughter's eyes instantly shine as she started looking for clothing stores.

Getting the okay, Leon sprinted off with Raihan taking off after him to ensure that he didn't get lost, having been defeated by Sonia in a game of rock paper scissors to see who would look after the man. Melony was about to ask her son if he wanted to see the sights with her only to get the cold shoulder a scoff as he walked away from her, leaving the woman alone with a sorrowful expression on her face. Kabu and Opal led Milo, Nessa, Piers and his younger sister Marnie around the city as they had visited before. Chairman Rose and Oleana departed to explore themselves, the man grinning as he enjoyed the Unovian air.

"Are you sure that you're okay?" Asked a concerned Bea as she knelled sightly to check on Allister, the boy shakily nodding his head as he moved to hold onto his cousin's hand and scoot a bit closer to her.

"Do you want me to contact Shauntal? I'm sure she'll be happy to see us, it's been a few years and you can show her how much you've grown." The gray haired young lady asked the smaller trainer, Allister pausing before slowly nodding his head as the martial artist offered him a tiny smile.

Pulling out her phone, Bea dialed her cousin and waited for her to pick up. At the same time, something caught Allister's eye as the mask wearing boy turned to look at it. Staring at him with its own mask, the Yamask was curious but turned frightened when spotted by the boy. Turning and floating away, Allister's fears were overtaken by the desire to meet with the Unovian counterpart of the Yamask that resided in Galar, letting go of his cousin's hand as he took off after the Yamask.

"Allister!" Shouted Bea as she snapped to grab him, her eyes widening as she tried to find him in the crowd of people passing by.

Panic and concern setting in, she turned her head and tried to look for him as Shauntal picked up and offered her a chipper greeting. But instead of a happy phone call, the Elite Four member quickly bolted from her hotel room and rushed to meet with Bea to find their lost cousin. As for said lost cousin, Allister was wandering in an alley as he lost track of the Yamask that had entered it, the boy instantly growing fearful as he was lost and alone after having let go of his cousin's hand. Squeaking as a trashcan was knocked over, he jumped back and released his partner Pokemon as his Gastly glanced around before moving to his side in defense.

"H-Hello...?" Called out the young trainer in a fearful and worried tone, gulping as he heard footsteps slowly grow closer and closer.

Narrowing its eyes, his Gastly moved in front of him in preparation for a sudden attack only to grow fearful itself when a pair of burning crimson eyes met its own. Its form shaking horribly as the man stepped up to it, both Gastly and Allister were trembling as they stared up at a crimson eyed man with raven colored hair, a hat resting on his head as he carried a bag. His bangs and the bill of his hat casting a shadow over his eyes, frightening was the only way that the pair could even begin to describe him, Allister snapping his eyes closed as he moved to reach into his bag. At the sudden movement, Gastly acted without thinking as it lashed out with its tongue, hopping to catch the man off guard and stun him long enough for the two to make their escape.

While returning after procuring a couple of drinks for his mother and the woman who called herself Zinnia, Red saw a Yamask bolt out of an alleyway as it knocked over a trashcan. Confusion and a bit of worry filling him, he debated ignoring it and making it back to his mother as quickly as possible but opted to check on what the alleyway contained, the raven haired man knowing that he'd never forgive himself if his negligence costed someone's health. But what met him was a small boy and a Ghastly, the crimson eyed man making the connection as the pair in front of him were probably trying to catch the Yamask that had fled earlier.

"...?" Raising his brow in confusion as the Gastly in front of him tried to lick him, Red simply turned as the tongue harmlessly passed by him.

"...Are you two lost...?" Asked the man after avoiding Allister's Gastly trying to lick him for a few seconds, the two freezing before stiffly turning to look at him.

"...A-Are you a b-bad person...?" Allister asked in a timid tone as he huddled a bit closer to his Gastly, the Ghost type slowly growing more and more comfortable around the man as he seemed to exude a strangely calming air.

Instead of answering his question, Red crouched down to meet Allister's eyes as he offered the boy a can of 'Driftveil's Famous Sweet Tea' with a tiny smile on his face. Seeing that, Allister's Gastly's guard fell as it tried to apologize to the man, Red thanking it as he moved to pat it on its gaseous body. As his Gastly was one who didn't warm up to many people unless they were exceedingly kind or warm, Allister's worries faded as well, timidly taking the can of tea from Red as the crimson eyed man's smile seemed to grow a tad brighter at the boy accepting his gift.

"Were you with someone? Do you know where you last saw them?" Asked Red as Allister grew red behind his mask, his ears burning as he knew that he was in for a scolding when Bea caught him.

"U-Umm... C-Can you... Can you show me a-around for a l-little...? M-My cousin will be m-mad at me..." Allister pleaded with the man in a hopeful tone as Red smirked at him trying to weasel out of a scolding, shooting his mother a quick message that the line was long before holding his hand out for Allister.

Blushing a bit as he took the older man's hands, Allister was a bit taken back by just how strong Red's hands felt. Allister had felt his cousin had strong hands as well, but they were also soft and felt nice to hold, but the hand of the man spoke of the harshness of the life that he had lived and his strength of character, Allister staring up at Red with eyes filled with curiosity and amazement as the older man turned of offered him a tiny smile, the two moving along the road in silence before Red spoke up.

"My name's Red."

"A-Ah! M-Me...? I-I... M-My name is A-Allister!"

A soft laugh leaving Red as it was like he was looking in a mirror of his youth, Red acted without thinking and patted the boy on the head, Allister's mind blanking before exploding in embarrassment as he fidgeted under the man's mirthful gesture. Taking the boy to the stores that he had shopped at prior, which wasn't many, Red and Allister stopped by the ice cream shop that he had visited earlier in the week, buying Allister a double scoop of ice cream and two cups for his cousins as a peace offering.

"...I-I'm sorry..." Allister apologized as he had realized that he left his luggage and in turn his wallet with Bea, his face burning with embarrassment as Red waved the worries of the boy off.

Letting Allister use his phone, which shocked Allister seeing just how old and worn the ancient looking flip phone was, the boy hesitantly dialed his cousin's number and waited as the dial tone sounded like a death knell. After a few seconds, Bea's ever calm voice sounded over the speaker, Allister feeling his body quiver as he finally spoke.

"C-Cousin Bea...?"

"A-Allister?! Where are you!? What were you thinking running off like that! Shauntal! It's Allister!"

"Alli?! The first thing you do in the four years we see each other is run off! You're in a lot of trouble when we find you!"

"S-Shauntal! Don't scare him or he'll hang up and hide!"

True to Bea's statement, with his mask gone as he was eating his ice cream, Allister's eyes were big and watery as he turned to look up at Red for any help that the man could provide for him. Trying not to laugh in the face of the boy, Red schooled his features before gently taking the phone from Allister, putting it on speaker and placing it between the two of them.

"Hello, are you Allister's cousins?"

"...Who are you and what are you doing with my cousin..."

"If you hurt Alli at all, you'll regret it."

"N-No! M-Mr. Red h-helped me when I was lost!"

"...I'm sorry, I'm a little flustered right now. Do forgive me."

"Ah, whew, that's a relief! Sorry about that, we were both panicking there. Where are you two right now?"

"At the ice cream store across from the tournament ground's main entrance."

"Ah! I know where that is! Hold on tight, we'll be there in a few minutes! Come'on Bea, I know where they are!"

With that the call ended as Allister let out a sigh of relief, turning to give Red a tiny but thankful smile that the man returned. Sitting together, Allister ate his ice cream with a bit more vigor then he did before, shivering as he enjoyed the frozen treat. Red smiling at the sight, he turned to look at his phone and furrowed his brow slightly as he was six minutes over the time he had wanted to return. Mentally sighing, he knew that his mother would understand should she ask, and he didn't care too much for keeping Zinnia waiting. After a two minutes, the sounds of footsteps meet the ears of the two, the pair turning to see Bea and Shauntal rushing towards them.

"C-Cousin Be-"

"You little! Do you know how worried I was?!"

"Ha... Thank goodness you're okay... Now here's a little taste of how we felt!"

"A-Awah! P-Pwease s-shtop!"

After being squeezed by his two cousins, Allister's cheeks were instantly pinched and stretched by the pair, his eyes teary as he tried to placate the two. Watching the scene, Red had a nostalgic glint to his eyes as he recalled a time where Blue and himself would be scolding Leaf as her antics usually ended up with the two boys in trouble while she snuck away to safety. Once his punishment was over, Allister's cheeks red and slightly puffy, they turned to thank the man who had found him only to freeze when they finally took in his features.

The hairs on the back of Bea's neck stood on end as she stared directly into his crimson eyes, feeling that they had an endless depth to them that she couldn't even begin to comprehend. But when his eyes softened and he offered her a tiny and polite smile, she flinched and felt herself flush slightly at appearing so frightened in his face. Snapping her head to look down, she offered him a polite bow as Shauntal finally snapped from her stupor and grinned at the man.

"Hey, it's you! You're a tough cookie to find you know that!" Shauntal exclaimed as Red flinched a bit at her tone, his smile growing a tad wry as she gushed about how she was hoping to meet with him once more after their fated meeting at the very same establishment they were currently at.

"Here, please forgive him this once." Red said as he held out the frozen treats to the two women, Shauntal thanking him as she took the offered cup with a smile on her face.

Bea on the other hand seemed rather hesitant about taking the dessert, though her stomach and heart were screaming at her to accept the sweet treat. In the midst of her inner turmoil, Red gently took her hand and placed the cup of ice cream inside, causing Bea's mind to go blank as she hadn't expected him to do something so bold. Spending a minute exchanging pleasantries, which Bea had just barely missed as she was silently eating her ice cream with a reddened face, Red cut the encounter short as he headed back to the cafe where his mother and Zinnia were at. Watching him go, Allister waved in a slightly sullen manner as he burned the image of the man into his mind, making a mental note to be as kind and strong as he was in the future. Bea had a dusting of pink on her cheeks as she followed the man's back as he vanished from her line of sight, having noticed how well sculpted his muscles were.

"Oh~ Has little Bea finally found someone to have a crush on~? I thought you had a crush on that Leon guy?" Asked Shauntal in a sing-songy tone, causing the gray haired young lady to freeze and snap to glare at her with crimson coloring her cheeks.

"W-What?! I-I'm only seventeen, Shauntal! I don't have time for things like that when I have to train! A-And I don't like Leon in that way, only as a fellow trainer and Champion!" Snapped the martial artist as Shauntal smiled in a knowing manner, though she was a bit distressed at the addition of another competitor for the man's heart.

"Well, just so you know, you're not the only one who has a crush on him. There are a lot of others, and maybe someone know you likes him too~" Sang Shauntal as Bea narrowed her eyes on her cousin, huffing as she ignored her and started towards the direction of Stadium A.

"U-Umm... S-Shauntal, d-do you know where h-he's staying? I want to p-pay him back for today..." Asked Allister as Shauntal froze, offering the boy a reply in the negative as she found herself blushing deeply as she imagined herself visiting him alone at night.

"N-Nope! Not a clue, Alli! B-But the girls and I are working hard to find it! I'll let you know when we do!" Replied the woman as Allister's eye shone at the answer, Shauntal feeling her soul bleed at how pure the youth was in contrast to herself.

The three moving to meet up with the other Galarian trainers, Red was also making his way back to the cafe where his mother was waiting for him. Along the way, the young man wandered into an alleyway where the muffled sound of someone could be heard, though it was drowned out by the bustling crowd. A few seconds later, Red walked out of the alley while cleaning his hands, casually turning and shooting a glare at a pair of men sitting at a table enjoying a cup of coffee up the street. Keeping his glare on them for a few seconds, he finally turned and moved on, the hands of the men soon shaking with sweat drenching their forms. After he left as they rushed towards the alley that Red had stepped out of and helped the man stuffed in a dumpster out, a low groan leaving him as he rubbed his aching chest and throbbing arm.

"Y-You alright?"

"Ugh, yeah. How'd he know we were tailing him? He smashed the camera, took the card and said he'd end me if he saw me again..."

"Damn... Are we sure that he's human? The way he looked at us... It wasn't right..."

"Let's get back to base, boss needs to know what happened and we need to warn Six to not piss him off."

Hobbling away with the injured man in tow, the trio shivered as they recalled the eyes of the man, wondering just what kind of crazy their employer was to be so interested in the man. When they had accepted the job to tail the man and take note of every move that he made they had figured that it would be just like any other surveillance related job they had performed in the past. But they quickly found out that the man seemed to have a sixth sense of sorts, seemingly knowing when they were following him and able to act on that knowledge. Shaking their heads, they opted to drop the job as quickly as possible, likening the crimson eyed man as a cornered Pokemon ready to strike should they provoke it any further.

"So, what brought you out of Hoenn, Zinnia? I didn't think that Higana would let her granddaughter leave without an important reason." Scarlet asked the younger woman seated in front of her in an even tone, the crimson eyes of the young lady narrowing as she grit her teeth at the question.

"...There was a vision that the oracle had witnessed, of a meteor striking the world like it had a thousand years ago and of a greater disaster to take place soon after. As I am the sole remaining Lorekeeper, I've been preparing to counter it should that vision prove to be true. I had originally come to Unova looking for a dragon-type Pokemon, but then... I saw you..." Zinnia answered as she glowered at the older woman, Scarlet's calm expression never shifting.

"I see. Well, my Red said that he will be back as soon as he can, Zinnia, can you wait until he gets here for me to begin?" Asked Scarlet in the same calm tone from before, the crimson eyed young lady grimacing at the thought of him but stiffly nodding as she had no alternative.

Seeing that, Scarlet let a small smile grace her face as she checked the time, her brow furrowing slightly as her son was never one to dawdle when something was asked of him. Growing a tad concerned, she was debating on whether or not to call him only for the door to the cafe to open. Walking in, Red had the beverages she had asked for in hand, offering his mother a small smile as he placed them in front of the two ladies. Seeing as his trainer had returned, Pikachu was scratched on his chin for a job well done as he took his place on the shoulder of the raven haired man. Taking a seat beside his mother, Red remained silent as both he and Pikachu leered silently at Zinnia, the young lady feeling as if she was sitting in front of a slumbering Charizard instead of a person.

"Now then, let's begin shall we?" Suggested Scarlet as she took a sip of her coffee, staring right into Zinnia's eyes as the younger woman gulped slightly but nodded her head nonetheless.

(Scene Change - Pokemon World Tournament: Stadium F)

"Quick! Pikachu use Thunder!" Shouted Ash as his partner let out a cry of confirmation, jumping into the air as electricity crackled over his tiny form.

"Don't let it finish, use Vacuum Wave Toxicroak!" The opponent of the young man cried out as his Toxicroak drew its arm back, throwing it out in a spinning manner as a miniature tornado rushed towards the airborne Pokemon.

Narrowing his eyes at the oncoming attack, Pikachu grit his teeth as he endure the tornado, being spun around slightly but managing to right himself as he let loose a bolt of concentrated lighting. The bolt striking Toxicorak, the Toxic Mouth Pokemon let loose a shrill cry as it took full brunt of the attack as the Electric type landing and continued to shock it. Before long, the Poison-Fighting type collapsed with spirals in its eyes as the referee nodded and raised his flag, signalling the defeat of the Pokemon.

"Toxicroak in unable to continue, the winner is Pikachu and the Match goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" Announced the official as a cheer rocked the stadium, the two trainers recalling their Pokemon before moving to share a friendly handshake.

Seeing that his second match was accounted for and his next more then two hours away, Ash rushed to the healing station to try and make it to the buffet as soon as possible. In the midst of his rushing, he paused when a familiar head of brown hair entered his gaze, Ash's assumption being proven to be true as the man had a smirk on his face as he walked over.

"Heh! Not so shabby, Ashy-Boy! Looks like you haven't been slacking off!" The ever cocky voice of Gary said towards his childhood friend, Ash grinning as he gestured to Pikachu resting on his shoulder.

"Wasn't just me, Gary! Pikachu and the others have been working their hardest to prepare for the tournament!" Ash relied in his usual cheerful tone, the two falling into an amiable air of conversation as they awaited the return of the others from the bleachers.

For the two trainers of Pallet Town, they were both more then happy to see that their home town and region was getting so much praise from those both spectating and partaking in the tournament. Over the decade, the region's position in the view of the world began to slip from its previous position as number one, a fact that was known to many. It wasn't that it was a competition or war to become first, it was more of a means to gauge the strength of the regions in relation to the other. as fledgling trainers could apply to begin their journeys in a region of their choice with the world expanding its means of travel. Kanto had dropped to the bottom of the tier list, with powerhouses such as Cynthia leading Sinnoh and Hilbert leading Unova. Seeing as Kanto and Johto were a joint region as far as things were considered, the older region opted to place Johto above itself in the rankings. So, after many years of being at the bottom, having such powerful and influence trainers showing off their talents would help newer trainers unsure of where they would like to begin their journeys start them in Kanto.

"So, what do you think of those three?" Gary asked after a few minutes of conversation, drawing a blank look from Ash as the brunette's brow twitched at his expression.

"Uhh, about who Gary?"

"I'm talking about the three prodigies of Pallet! My cousin Blue, Leaf and Red! Those three!" Snapped the brunette as Ash yelped slightly at his sudden shout, calming his racing heart before his eyes grew a tad sharp.

"I don't know what to think about them, Gary... It's like they're on a whole level different from anyone that I've seen, even Cynthia..." Muttered the raven haired young man in a tone that held deep traces of doubt, his childhood friend agreeing wholeheartedly as the prowess that the three possessed far exceeded anything seen in the current years.

"I know what you mean. If it was even just my cousin and Leaf, I think that Kanto would still be near the top of the rankings. But it's that Red guy that's really the issue, I don't think he's even human, you know what I mean?" Gary added as Ash nodded his head in agreement, having bore witness to the horrifying man's presence and Pokemon cementing him as a genuine terror.

When they were kids, the two remembered very clearly the gallant and shining figures of Leaf and Blue, the two being the stars of Pallet Town that all of the kids looked up to as they plowed their way through the Kanto gyms. Almost everyone who had grown up in Pallet Town could count off at least a dozen achievements that the two possessed, many having diligently tuned into channels that broadcasted the battles that they had. But when it came to Red, there wasn't a single memory that they could come up with that involved the man, not even when his childhood friends were very clear in the minds of Ash and Gary.

The two older trainers had said that he was the youngest Champion that ever walked the world, but the two weren't able to recall when he claimed that title or how. When Blue said that Red had crushed him and snatched the title as soon as he had received it, they were hard pressed to believe him as they clearly remembered Blue reigning until Ethan and Lyra took the title from him. Unbeknownst to all but one person, there was a tiny but very prevalent change that occurred in the world, the man at the center of it wincing as he clutched his head as a sudden surge of pain wracked his body.

"R-Red! W-What's wrong!?" Scarlet cried as her son suddenly collapsed when he rose to use the restroom, his face flushed as his body began to burn up.

It felt like magma was flowing through the veins of the raven haired young man, Red only having felt a similar pain in the dimensional rift when his body was attacked by the parasitic Pokemon all those years ago and due to a certain incident involving that rift a few years after. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself up by using his forearm to prop his body as his mother and Pikachu rushed to his side, terror and concern flooding the eyes of the two as Scarlet called for anyone to help. Within seconds people were clamoring to aid the young man, a pair of doctors quickly administering first aid while the safety council was contacted and arranged for transportation to be sent. Watching the medics prep and load her son before taking off to Driftveil's main hospital, Scarlet wasn't able to contain the tears that fell from her eyes as Pikachu's eyes seemed glazed over before he snapped himself out of his dazed state. As he was about to rush after his trainer, he remembered the crimson eyed man's words as he forced himself to remain by Scarlet's side, having promised to keep watch over his mother.

"...I'll be back to talk some more with you, you better go to your son." Zinnia said after a few seconds of silence, getting a thankful smile from Scarlet as the woman rushed off to find her beloved boy.

"To think the elders banished her for her turning her back on her family..." Whispered the young woman as she watched Scarlet's back grow smaller and smaller, standing still for a moment before deciding to follow after the elder Draconid.

(Scene Change - Driftveil Memorial Hospital: MICU Ward)

"I've never seen anything like this..." Muttered the elderly man reading over the medical chart of the young man beside him, stiffly turning to look at Red with a pitying expression on his face.

"Young man... Just what could have happened to you to cause this?" He added in an equally pitying tone, shaking his head as he gently placed the chart back in its holder and left the room.

"Doctor! Please, what's wrong with Red?!" Asked Scarlet as the elderly man stepped out of the room, the woman and the Pikachu on her shoulder startling the man before he schooled his features.

"I'm not sure myself, ma'am. Your boy... From what we saw, there's no way he should even be breathing, let alone moving." Started the man as Scarlet felt her heart freeze in her chest, her eyes wide and her face pale as the words of the man seemed to echo in her mind.

"W-What are you saying...?" She whispered as he let a soft sigh leave his mouth, gazing gently at her as he tried to find the proper way to express his honest opinion on the young man in the room.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I would advise you to expect the worst." The man apologized as he lowered his head towards her, Scarlet feeling like her world was shattering as she collapsed to her knees.

"M-Miss Scarlet!" Cried Leaf and Blue as they rushed into the hospital after receiving a frantic call from the mother of their childhood friend, terror and panic filling their bodies as they helped the woman to a nearby bench.

Her eyes dull and empty, the raven haired woman was only able to whisper what she had heard from the doctor to her son's best friends, Leaf and Blue's expressions soon mirroring her own as they snapped to look at the door that led to his room. Why? They had just got him back and now he was leaving them again? Just what did they did to deserve this? Gritting his teeth, Blue felt something in him break as he resolved himself to do something that he had never done before.

"Miss Scarlet, Leaf. There's something I need to tell the two of you." Started the young man as he gained the attention of the two women, a shaky breath leaving him as he decided for the first time to break a promise with Red and explain what had happened to him up in Mt. Silver.

(Scene Change - Driftveil Memorial Hospital: MICU Ward)

Night had fallen over the Pokemon World Tournament grounds, Red having not moved a muscle since his collapse earlier in the day. Due to this, the young man had missed his match and had been knocked out of the first part of the tournament, the named battles between the regions. While unfortunate, the health of the young man was much more important then his participation in the tournament despite knowing how much it would dampen his spirits. Blue and Leaf spent most of their time in his room when they weren't battling, their spirits dampened and it showed as their performance was much poorer then it usually was.

Currently sitting beside him, Scarlet was softly stroking her son's head, her eyes pink and puffy but the woman was adamantly holding back her tears as she refused to shed anymore until he awoke. By his side was Pikachu, the Pokemon's eyes calm but solemn as he kept his sense of hearing on the heartbeat of his trainer for any signs that could prove either hopeful or heartbreaking. His other Pokemon were in their Pokeballs, securely locked in an opaque safe that let them see their trainer, having been placed there by Scarlet as the woman gently asked them to behave until Red awoke. Begrudgingly they choose to heed her words as Pikachu added a warning that Chairzard supported, the combined might of the two being equal to or exceeding those who were tempted to oppose her request.

"Sweetie... Why didn't you tell me? Did you think I would yell at you or scold you?" Whispered Scarlet as she ran her fingers through his hair, her eyes falling to his chest where the smock was shifted slightly and exposed a few of the horrid scars that covered him.

A decade alone on top of a mountain, fighting to survive just as an eleven year old with a party of Pokemon with barely a year of experience despite being a Champion wasn't something that should have been possible. But her Red, her little Charmander, had done just that and more if Scarlet's intuition as a mother was correct, which it usually was. A soft sigh escaping her, she checked her phone and saw a few texts from her husband, the man having stated that he was rushing over as soon as he could. A slight smile crossing her face at the thought of seeing her husband after so long, she decided to leave her son as he would no doubt be more angry at her for neglecting her health worrying over him. Leaning over, she pressed her forehead against his and stayed there for a short but precious few seconds, parting from him and pecking him on the forehead.

"Please wake up soon, sweetie." Scarlet whispered as she moved to leave the room, taking one last glance at her son before heading back to her hotel.

Seeing her leave, Pikachu winced as he alternated to look between his trainer and his mother before reluctantly deciding to follow after his mother. While the Electric type desperately wanted to stay by his side, he relented as he moved to relay what was happening to his companions. Hearing a sound of confirmation from Mewtwo, the Electric type nodded and chased after Scarlet. With their trainer alone, the ten Pokemon in the room focused all of their attention to the surrounding for any and all noise and scents that seemed out of the ordinary, their senses of hearing and smell being the only reliable source of gathering information in their current states.

Hours soon passed without incident as the Pokemon held in the safe remained vigilant, having taken to keeping watch in shifts to allow the others to get rest for their next turn. But as the clock struck three o'clock, something strange happened as those who were awake suddenly felt their senses dulling. Confusion filling them, they weren't able to act as they fell asleep despite their minds' protests. The culprit was waiting outside of the window as it continued to release a complex mix of disarming and soporific pheromones into the room, not letting its presence known until it was sure that the room was completely saturated.

**"Mosa..."** Whispered the intruder as it strode towards the bedside of its treasure before kneeling beside him, taking Red's hand and looking at for a few seconds before moving to nuzzle against it.

In the midst of its affectionate gesture, it paused before moving its face up towards Red's, sniffing the man before its eyes narrowed at the familiar and disgusting scent that had seemed emerge and intensify since the last time she took in his scent. Turning its nose up at him, a conflicted expression crossed the face of the intruder as it racked its mind as to what to do. But in the midst of thinking, it panicked and jumped back slightly when it saw his form change, its eyes widening as Red's body seemed to flicker like TV static as a he grimaced in pain.

The phenomenon lasting just a few seconds, it was long enough for the intruder to realize just what was happening as it had survived the very same situation that its treasure was currently in. With that knowledge came a twinge of despair as it only survived due to its strength and tenacity, something that its treasure didn't possess. Debating on whether or not to take its treasure and find a way back to its own home, the horrid scent that was lingering to him started to fade. Snapping to stare at him in confusion, the intruder leaned closer and took another whiff of the man, flinching as the scent had indeed faded completely.

Turning its head to look out the window, the intruder narrowed its eyes as its antenna twitched slightly, locking onto the very faint and slowly fading wavelength that usually lingered after a rift was opened. A slight frown crossing its face, the intruder instantly knew that someone or something was trying to draw its treasure away from it, the Pokemon glancing at the safe which held the companions of the man before nodding as it resolved itself to protect what belonged to it, no matter how demeaning it was. So long as they were together and he belonged to it, that was all that mattered in the mind of the intruder.

Leaning over, it placed a gentle kiss on the cheek of its treasure, ensuring to strengthen the partially diluted pheromones that it had left on the man nearly a decade prior. Satisfied with both touching her treasure and marking it once more, the intruder left to secure something a bit more suitable for it then the drab looking Pokeballs that her treasure seemed to favor. The thought of being captured in such horrid looking item drawing a shiver from the intruder, it instantly knew what its own Pokeball would be, rushing to secure it and finally be able to embrace and touch its treasure as much as it desired. A giggle leaving it, the intruder turned back once more and stared tenderly at the man who's expression was much more eased then it was earlier before hopping out.

A low groan soon left Red as the man's eyes fluttered open, a wince crossing his face as he moved to place a hand over his left chest where a dull throb seemed to echo. Glancing around, the crimson eyed man blinked as he furrowed his brow and tried to recall what had led him to being hospitalized, a muddled expression on his face as the memory of the sudden surge of pain that struck him and his mother's worried shout returned to the forefront of his mind. A soft sigh leaving him, Red soon panicked as he searched his person for his Pokeballs, panic soon flooding him as they weren't on his waist or pockets. Standing, the man wandered the room looking for his precious partners, never hearing the door squeak open as a raven haired woman blinked at the sight of him looking under the bed.

"They're in that safe." The woman said as her voice cut through the silence that filled the room, Red pausing before turning to face the owner of the voice with a stony expression that was returned in full.

Standing in the doorway was Zinnia, the crimson eyed woman leaning against the frame of the door as she observed the man move to a standing position with a light dusting of pink on his cheeks. A tiny smirk crossing her face, Zinnia watched as Red stopped in front of the clear safe that was right beside his bed, his embarrassment growing as he had missed the safe in his groggy and startled state. Tinkering with the safe, he furrowed his brow as he tried to open it, not understanding how to open it as it didn't have a visible lock but a strange protrusion on its front with a red light. The young man wasn't the best with machines, only having known how to use the facilities at the abandoned hideout due to them being somewhat familiar to those at the Pokemon League. Feeling the stare of the woman on him, Red felt his back grow itchy as he continued to fiddle with the safe before a brilliant idea crossed his mind from a film he saw with Blue and Leaf when they were children. Leaning over slightly, he put his eye close to the light as he was certain that it was an eye scanning lock that he had seen in a movie. But to his disappointment it didn't make a sound, the man standing back up as he rubbed his slightly irritated eye.

"...I think it's fingerprint activated." Zinnia suggested as Red stiffened at her statement, not quite understanding but nodding nonetheless as he tried touching it in a more clumsy manner.

Fiddling with it, he moved to place his index finger on it as a soft hum soon sounded. That noise continued for a second before a chime could be heard, the safe clicking as the door popped open. Quickly taking his Pokemon, he had a relieved sigh leave him as he made sure that they were all accounted for. Pausing slightly when he noticed that Pikachu wasn't in his Pokeball, Red stiffened but relaxed when he remembered his orders from earlier to watch over his mother. Knowing that his oldest friend would no doubt follow it until he was otherwise asked to stop, the crimson eyed man nodded as he secured them on his waist once more. Watching him the entire time, Zinnia couldn't help but smile seeing how much concern and care Red seemed to have for his companions, the Lorekeeper likening him to herself as she idly rubbed the Pokeball of her oldest friend.

"You seem to care a lot for your Pokemon." Stated Zinnia as she broke the silence once more, Red's stony expression softening while his eyes glowed with warmth and affection as he nodded in confirmation at the statement.

"Has your mother ever told you that you have Draconid blood in you?" She asked in a tone that was softer then before, her own hard expression softening as Red shook his head in the negative.

Silence settling once more in the room, Zinnia was about to leave when Red stopped her, stiffly but gently placing his hand on her shoulder as she turned to leave. Confusion coloring her face, she was about to ask him why he stopped her only for her stomach to growl slightly, the woman blinking before a twinge of red colored her cheeks at the rather mortifying sound. A tiny smirk crossing Red's face, he gestured for her to stay while he moved to his backpack, which was luckily left at his bedside by whomever had brought him to the hospital. Opening it, he pulled out two homemade protein bars and a small bag of peanuts.

"Here." As he offered one of the bars and the peanuts to the crimson eyed woman, Zinnia slightly taken aback as she questioned if the terrifying man she had first met was truly the person standing in front of her now.

"T-Thank you." Replied the Lorekeeper as she graciously accepted the items, the two moving towards the window as a nice and soft breeze made it a comfortable feeling night.

"Can you tell me why you're so angry at my mother?" Asked Red after a few moments of silence, Zinnia pausing in the midst of eating the rather delicious snack he had given her as a somewhat resigned sigh left her mouth.

"It's quite a long story. Shouldn't you be contacting the ones who would be happy to know that you're awake then asking about my past?" She countered in a slightly sharp manner, hoping that the man would get the hint and drop the subject.

But to her dismay, he just stared at her in a way to implore her to carry on with her tale. Seeing as she wasn't going to be able to weasel her way out of it with the man, Zinnia popped a peanut into her mouth and began to spin her tale. A story of a young girl, the previous generation's Lorekeeper, a deserter and a legacy forced onto said girl. Listening to her story, Red felt his heart tighten and his eyes sting, the sorrow and betrayal in Zinnia's voice striking a chord in the man. Focusing all of his attention on the woman, Zinnia felt a somewhat nostalgic warmth fill her as she talked with the man, relaxing slightly as she fully put her heart in weaving the tale of her life for the man.

It centered around a child that was left alone by her parents, two Draconids who despised their heritage and sought freedom from a role of protecting the world and its inhabitants which would never known of their sacrifices. Why should they, two people who had their entire lives to live, give them up for the behalf of those who polluted the world with their lack of knowledge as to what exactly it entailed to live in such peace, living their lives as free as a Butterfree while they would toil, bleed and sob over their fates involved in protecting them from harm. That girl was soon taken in by the Lorekeeper of the previous generation, a woman who that girl grew to view as a mother in place of her biological one which left her to satiate her greed for the material and freedom. The Lorekeeper raised the girl as her own child, having been unable to bear her own due to her body's fragility and health, and showered her with love and affection befitting that of a true mother. Life for the two were filled with a seemingly endless amount of love, laughter and warmth; something that the two wished and prayed to carry on for as long as possible. But, as fate would have it, the world did not grant that wish and instead tore it apart.

The woman the girl viewed as a mother was ripped away from her, torn from the world in a last ditch effort to save the life of a woman who had returned after deserting the clan to abolish the centuries old traditions of the clan that selected the next Lorekeeper through a ritual taking place at the peak of Sky Pillar. That woman refused for her child to become the next Lorekeeper, having returned to Hoenn after having left five years ago, shouting that her son wasn't bound to the clan as she had cut all ties with them during her leaving. But the elders refused to accept her words, her son having been prophesied to lead the world to salvation by preventing a great disaster from occurring and stopping a greater calamity before it spread across the world. That woman, Scarlet, warned the clan that there would be extreme repercussions should they decide to do anything to her five year old son, her eyes burning with a motherly rage none had witnessed before. Struck silent by her threat, the elders didn't remain so for long as they began to curse and slander her, the current Lorekeeper walking with Scarlet as she apologized to the woman on the behalf of the elders as she shared the woman's views regarding their children. As the two woman turned to leave the tower, it was the heavens themselves caused them to stop as the skies began to quake as if angered by her declaration and their beliefs. Numerous bolts of lighting struck the tower, causing it to rock as screams and shouts could be heart from the mouths of everyone as they rushed to escape. It was then that the Lorekeeper saw Scarlet stumble and fall, an already unstable stone pillar finally collapsing as it fell towards her. She then acted without thinking, rushing to save the fallen woman at the cost of her life, a life that would intertwine the lives of Scarlet's son and Zinnia.

Having bore witness to the entire seen as she was being dragged away by Higana as she tried to get the child to safety, Zinnia saw her mother get crushed by the pillar as Scarlet stood shocked and pale. The scene of Scarlet rushing to dig out the Lorekeeper, hold her still body and sob as she clutched the older woman to her chest was burned into the memory of the girl. After they returned back to their home, the situation turned grave as the current Lorekeeper's seat was left vacant by the passing of the previous. The elders had demanded that they take Scarlet's child despite her threats, the fate of the world being much greater then a single child and its parents, many rallying behind them as they began to plan to abduct the child. Before the plan could come to fruition, Higana had decided and made a bold decision, manually appoint Zinnia as the new Lorekeeper due to her ties with the previous Lorekeeper, Aster. It was then that Zinnia's once bright and warm world began to freeze and darken, a little girl no older then five having become a vessel for saving the world through her blood, sweat and tears regardless of her own desires and wants. It was the beginning of a single girl's sole mission in life to save the world from calamity, alone and without a shred of support or guidance.

"-nd now, all I can do is to continue to carry out my mission. I will not blame you for your mother's decision, I believe that my mother would have made the same choice, but I will never forgive her for costing me my mother." Zinnia finished as a few hot tears of anguish and anger fell from her eyes, her teeth grit and her fists clenched tight as the torrent of fond memories felt like a series of daggers to the heart.

Letting a shaky breath leave her, she closed her eyes and was about to turn and run out of the room only for a warm hand to brush away her tears. Her eyes snapping open, she turned to look up at Red as he own eyes were misty and filled with a complex mix of emotions. Sadness, guilt, anger; there wasn't a way to describe his eyes but there was one thing present, they did not have pity in them. His hands shaking slightly, Red continued to brush away Zinnia's tears as he felt his heart shatter as he processed the story. Zinnia's life, the life of her mother and the life of his parents; wasn't the cause of all the pain in them himself? If he hadn't been involved with any of them, wouldn't they all be smiling and happy? Or at least happier then they currently were? Red didn't know the answer to those questions and to be frank he didn't want to, but there was some responsibility on his part even if he didn't know it at the time, something that he would never have his mother or anyone else shoulder. After brushing away the last of the frozen woman's tears, Red stood silent for a moment before mentally making a decree and adamantly set his mind onto a few goal, a goal that he would see to its completion no matter the cost.

"I'm sorry... But no more." He said as he lost all traces of shyness or social anxiety, moving to embrace Zinnia and gently pat her on the head as the woman stiffened immediately in his arms.

"You've done enough, Zinnia. Now, it's my turn." Red continued as he cut off Zinnia as she was about to speak, the woman's eyes widening as she felt something inside of her snap at his words.

Why? Why was he saying all of this after hearing her story? Why should he care when he was merely the son of the deserter of their clan? When he was living ignorantly, she spent over a decade of her life bleeding and crying to fulfill the duty dumped onto her by her clan in his absence, never once expecting the son of the one related to her mother's to meet with her. She had resolved and steeled her heart when her grandmother told her that she would be carrying out the legacy of being the Lorekeeper, knowing that crying or begging would only bring dishonor and disdain on not only her but the person who raised her. But now, after hearing the heartfelt words of the man holding her in his arms, a warm and comforting sensation that she had thought died the same day as her mother returned in full force, Zinnia unable to say anything as she finally relented and rested her head against the chest of the man.

_"It's warm..." _Thought Zinnia as a few more tears began to form and fall from her eyes, the woman seemingly growing more and more childish as she tried to bury herself deeper into the chest of the man to secure more of his warmth.

_"I don't have much time left, but I'll do what I can..."_ Red thought in his mind as he recalled the near death experience that struck him earlier, mentally letting a sigh leave him as he was sure that they had finally found him.

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.**


End file.
